• created 2005
• carrara statuario marble
• 9”H x 9”W x 6”D (23cmH x 23cmW x 15cmD)
• private collection, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Sculptor Michael Binkley has carved an elegant horse sculpture from statuario marble which was quarried in the mountains above the famous town of Carrara, Italy. This marble has long been acknowledged as the finest carving stone in the world. Its snowy white colour is accented by swirls of grey and butterscotch striations. Binkley managed to orientate this equine sculpture so that one such grey swirl followed the motion of its long tail.

Marble legs cannot support the weight of a body the same way as real flesh and bone, so Binkley left webbing between the horse’s legs and only carved the profile of each. The horse turns its head over its right shoulder and one can see the neck muscles and mane gently delineated, matched by the swishing tail. Binkley left a silky smooth matte finish on the sculpture which is wonderful to touch and gives the marble the ability to successfully hold shadow.