Monumental 19th Century Wooden Horse on Wheels with Original Polychrome Paint

A monumental wooden horse mounted on a wheeled base, dating from circa 1850.
The horse retains its original, beautifully aged polychrome paint surface with extensive decorative detailing. The head is painted with an ornamental bridle and headpiece featuring geometric and floral motifs in red, green, black and cream. The body shows further painted decoration, including a patterned saddle cloth with floral and dotted borders. The lower body and legs are finished in a deep red, while the wooden base is painted in a matching reddish-brown tone and fitted with four wooden wheels.
The paint surface displays natural age-related wear, craquelure and areas where the underlying layers are visible, giving the piece a rich, timeworn character.
Although wooden horses of this type are typically associated with Indian wedding traditions, the colouring and painting style lead us to believe that this example originates from Sicily and is probably Italian.Dimensions:
Height 167 cm × Width 154 cm × Depth 53 cm