Exceptional Folk Art Sculpture
With Elegant Arched Neck
Hand Carved and Painted Wood and Horse Hair
Swedish c. 1800
28” high x 36” wide x 8.5” deep
Ref: 35/1
A quite remarkable piece of Swedish Folk Art Sculpture, this wooden horse has morticed and tennoned legs to a remarkable elongated body and has a delightfully sculpted and elegantly arched neck. The horse is a significant motif in Scandinavian Folklore and represents a symbol of strength, loyalty, virility and power against evil. The devil was represented by fire and the horse was thought to be a protection against fire, indeed many wooden cabins had a horse’s head finial carved to the top of the fireplace poles, from which the arms were swung to hang over the fire when cooking. This rare and sensitive example retains the original black painted surface and is in generally fine condition throughout. It was probably originally made as a toy and suffered some in use wear at that time. Now mounted on a non invasive wall bracket for display purposes, it is an exceptional and early example and a wonderful survival.
