Asset number
395245001
Description
Marble part of the colossal figure of a man on a prancing horse. The statue has suffered much wanton damage through lying exposed after abandonment by stone robbers. The extremeties of the horse and the left leg of the rider appear to have been removed by blows of a sledge-hammer. The rider sits easily on the horse, gripping the flanks with his knees and bending his lower legs back. The left hand, which is held close to the waist, no doubt held the reins. He wears Persiam or Asiatic dress, consisting of a tunic which descends to just above the knees, and close-fitting trousers. The carving of the trousers over the right leg and the lower part of the tunic is of the very highest order, the garments appearing to billow back in the wind as the rider speeds along. The horse is shown pracing. the right hindleg is set forward and takes much of the weight, as is apparent from the bulging muscles of the hindquarters. The position of the left hindleg is nor certain. Both forelegs are raised and stretched out in the air, the left one being somewhat higher than the right. Corresponding with this pose the shoulders, and forehand of the horse are twisted round to its right. Beneath the belly of the horse there are the remnants of a protusion , which once received a support.
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