Lot 24 D

"Tänzelndes Pferd" is among Ewald Mataré's best-known horse sculptures. It is distinguished not only by its composition in the round, but also by its exceptional elegance, gracefulness and lightness - deriving from the animated, slender limbs and the dominant S-shaped undulation of the body - as well as its tactile appeal. As usual Mataré did not have his eye on any particular horse, instead, the sculpture represents the general, essential nature of the horse in the manner of a symbol.
Through their reduction to that which is universally valid, the animal sculptures acquire significance on a spiritual level, that is, beyond pure representation. They function as a higher allegory for the species horse. Mataré preferred a reductively elegant depiction focused into the form of an ornament rather than a naturalistic depiction. The sculpture is also referred to as "Chinesisches Pferd", pointing to the Asian impression it conveys. The ornamental form illustrates the emblematic character of the animal sculpture.