HORSE-SHAPED HANIWA, Kofun Period（250-581CE）

This is a horse-shaped haniwa from the Kofun period.

This robust horse-shaped haniwa bears a saddle and is surrounded by decorative bands representing the headstall and crupper. Its boldly projecting neck, tubular upright legs, and the saddle and ornaments rising from the back clearly reflect the Kofun period’s sculptural sensibility.

Horses in the Kofun period were closely linked with authority, mobility, and ritual. Horses rendered as haniwa were not mere animal likenesses but embodied the power and symbolism people of the time ascribed to them. This example, though adorned in various places across its body, is overall resolved into a concise, generously modeled form and retains the clear, direct quality characteristic of ancient clay work.

The surface is an earthen tone with a faint reddish-brown cast, showing occasional discoloration from firing and age. The exterior exhibits fine abrasion and areas of roughened clay, and traces of repair are visible at the joints of the neck, body, and legs. One ear is missing and there are restorations in several places, but the overall form as a horse-shaped haniwa is well preserved; whether viewed from the front, the side, or the rear, the strength of its form is clearly conveyed.

Measuring 44 cm high and 49 cm wide, it has a commanding presence. As a piece that brings ancient form into a space, it makes a strong impression whether placed on a shelf or on the floor.

There are restorations in several places, one ear missing, surface abrasion, and areas where the clay is roughened. Please note that these characteristics reflect its age.