Walter Winans

Overall the condition of the bronze is very good. There is some wear and dirt to the surface including some rubbing and very minor nicks to the tips of the feathers on the headdress, reliefs on the base and the tip of the spear. The spear is bent and has a possibly repaired fissure under the hand. The figure was cast in sections; a joint is slightly visible at the horse's proper right back upper leg.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Walter Winans was born in Russia to American parents. He spent the greater part of his career in England, where he was particularly well-known for his depictions of horses. Winans also worked in the United States and it was the history and folklore of the great plains which sparked his imagination for his numerous depictions of cowboys and Native American Indians. The present bronze is typical of Winans lively compositions: the horse appears to spring from the base into a gallop, carrying the warrior forward with his full panoply of war swept up in the wind.

RELATED LITERATURE
E. Bénézit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Grund, 1999, vol. 14, p. 644 ; G.B. Optiz, Dictionary of American Sculptors 18^th Century to the Present, Poughkeepsie, 1984, p. 434