Lot 223 D

The 'Dancing Horse' is Mataré's best-known sculpture of a horse. Not only can it be viewed from all sides, but its agile, slender limbs and the dominant S-shaped curve of its body give it a special charm, gracefulness and lightness. Its precursor is the 'Dancing Horse' made from cedar wood at Eberbach Abbey, also in 1943 (see WVZ 241). The charm of this carved piece of work lies in the special grain of the wood, while the bronze sculpture excels in its tactile quality. As usual, Mataré did not have any specific horse in mind, but his focus was on the iconic and essential features of a horse in general. By reducing his animal sculptures to their universal nature, the artist gave them meaning on an intellectual level that transcends any pure depiction. They function as higher-ranking symbols, representing the horse as a species. Moreover, his added description of the sculpture as a 'Chinese Horse' also indicates its ornamental character. Instead of any naturalist presentation, Mataré preferred an elegant, intellectualised form of depiction in which he reduced the subject to an ornament. Again, the overall ornamental shape of the horse shows its emblematic character.