In African art, the horseman represents material power and the craft of war, symbolising the domination of the physical and spiritual world.

Among the Senufo, these figures are known as Syonfolo or Fanhafolo, with the same typology also found in Dogon art. In the Bwa and Bobo ethnic groups, the horsemen, characterised by shapes, vary in height from 50 to 200 cm and are usually associated with tribal chiefs.

These sculptures come from the area around the village of Tominian, on the border between Burkina Faso and Mali, and are closely linked to the cult of the Koro society. The figures depict and identify the spirits of the savannah. These figures identify the spirits of the savannah.