A Hun and a Chinese Girl on Horseback 1891

Carl Bonnesen made "A Hun and a Chinese Girl on Horseback" in Denmark at the beginning of the 20th century. The bronze sculpture depicts a scene ripe with racialized and gendered stereotypes of the time. The image presents a narrative about the historical interactions between Europe and Asia. This reflects a fascination with and anxiety about cultural encounters. Bonnesen was part of an artistic milieu that looked to history to address contemporary social concerns. The artist uses the figures to comment on power dynamics between different cultures, and perhaps also between men and women. The work asks us to consider how art can both reflect and reinforce prevailing attitudes towards race, gender, and cultural difference. For art historians, it’s important to research the historical context in which Bonnesen was working. We need to look at travel writing, political cartoons, and other forms of visual culture to fully understand the sculpture.