Great horse Dalahemslöjd. Sweden, 1950s

Great horse DALAHEMSLÖJD. Sweden, 1950s.
Hand painted.
Its large measurements suggest that this is a work made for an important commemorative event.
It has slight wear on the tip of one ear and on the lacquer on one side.
Measurements: 50 x 15 x 51 cm.

Dala horses (or Dalahäst in Swedish) are hand-carved and hand-painted wooden figures from the province of Dalarna. They are unmistakable for their folk style and colorfulness. Although today you find them in all colors, the classic is bright red (called Falun red). This color was originally obtained from the tailings of local copper mines. What really makes them special is the floral decoration called Kurbits.