Rabhar was my favorite model. The most beautiful friendly, sweet and adorable horse on the planet.
My father made a very hazy photo of him, but it had a something… a movement which was the inspiration of this large portrait in oils.
Rabhar was wearing his ”millenium halter” I made this, naturally, in the year 2000, and the coins are pence pieces from the year 2000. Naturally.
He is also wearing his Scytian saddle. The Scythians were a warlike nomadic people, who about 3000 years ago, invented the saddle. These saddles were treeless and had no stirrups, which were invented 1000 years later.
Sketch of Rabhar
Brown pencil on paper
9 by 9 cm
Photo of Rabhar, wearing his millenium halter
Scythian saddle, from a burialsite in Russia
The Scytian saddle I made for Rabhar
The portrait of Rabhar
Oil on canvas
1 meter by 1,50 meter
This is the first time I used ceruleum blue on such a large scale. I never used to like it very much, but now suddenly I felt I should use it. It makes a great contrast to the orange brown of Rabhar’s coat.
I was in the middle of the painting and I decided I needed a brighter blue, so I jumped on my bicycle and cycled to an artshop and brought some really expensive ”Scheveningen” with a brilliant ceruleum! Just what I needed!
The gold is real 23 karat leafgold. It is added as the last touch.
Aafke.Art 
Incredible! You are VERY talented.
Nice! This made me want to commision a saddle from you, and I don’t even own a horse! LOL. Beautiful, beautiful artwork!
mashAllah you are one very talented lady! I am always in awe of artists as they create something from nothing.
Simply beautiful work!
Abu Sinan, Sabiwabi, Haleem, thank you 🙂
Not from nothing: paints, brushes, canvas, and blood sweat and tears!
😉
Fascinating. The Scythians were warrior women, so it’s strangely appropriate that a reproduction of their saddle is also made by a woman.
It was the neighbours, the Sarmathians, who had the warrior women I thought. Anyway, I think the saddles were made by women anyway. 😉
I also have a chinese bow and am practising with it so that I can shoot from the horse’s back. Riding the Tarq with the scythian saddle!
What was your method of making the saddle? Did you paint it or is that applique? I just am incredibly curious about the process!
The saddle is a replica of an Scythian saddle, it is made with wool, leather, goldleaf and felt, the decorations are leather and felt applique.