Visitor Response

Handwritten note on MFA comment card

My children described the sculpture as capturing artist’s idea. The man on the horse seems to be enjoying the day. He has shoes, but no clothes. “Were clothes not invented yet?” my son asked. The feathers on his head—those are called a headdress.

When I look at this image through their eyes, I see an image that tells a story of how stories have been told. The story focuses more on what observers note and imagine, rather than what the thinking human being is actually experiencing. I see an image and label that conveys a certainty that is unattainable. I think we need to rethink the placements and position of this piece of work. And continue use it to check our interpretive lenses.