What is the significance of horse statues

During the Middle Ages - that is, during the era of Romanesque and Gothic sculpture - Christian art dominated. Sculptors and stone masons were too busy coping with the demand for cathedral architectural sculpture to spare the time for equestrian monuments. There were exceptions, however, including: The Magdeburger Reiter , a sandstone statue depicting Emperor Otto I and allegedly the first equestrian statue north of the Alps.

Another celebrated medieval equestrian monument is the Bamberg Reiter at Bamberg Cathedral. Nicholas Storkyrkan in Stockholm. Equestrian statues were more popular in Renaissance art in Italy. This was because of the involvement of Italian city states, like Florence, Mantua and Siena, whose leaders the Medici family , Ludovico Gonzaga etc needed commemorating in secular paintings and sculptures.

Renaissance sculpture has two outstanding statues, both occupying important public spaces. First, there is the bronze Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata , by Donatello , which stands in the Piazza del Santo in Padua.

It is a portrait of the Renaissance condottiero mercenary Erasmo da Narni, known as "Gattamelata". In this work, Donatello was the first European sculptor to reintroduce the majesty of Classical equestrian portraiture. Less grand but more lively, is the gilded bronze Equestrian Monument of Bartolommeo Colleoni c. Cast by the Florentine sculptor and goldsmith Andrea del Verrocchio , it was paid for out of a substantial legacy left to Venice by Colleoni.

Other similar works by Renaissance sculptors include the equestrian monuments to Sir John Hawkwood and that of Niccolo da Tolentino both located in Florence Cathedral , and Titian's equestrian portrait of Charles V. The supposed logic behind part two is that the crossed legs are another symbol of the Christian cross, a prominent symbol of crusades; crusaders were often said to have "taken the cross" when they went on crusade.

However, there are numerous statues of people known to have gone on crusade with uncrossed legs, and vice versa, just as there are riders on statues with raised legs who died of natural causes.

Of course, it would be handy if the myths were true, even if it would give people an excuse to bore you on a walk around by pointing it out all the time. The problem is, people and books try to do it anyway, and they're almost always wrong. It's unclear where the horses' legs myth came from, and it would be fascinating to know how that developed!

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Subsequently, most historians do not believe the myth. Originally published May, , updated July, John Doe. Student Travel Consultant. Discover Related Blog Posts. The Most-Read Blog Posts of We're thankful we've been able to continue serving teachers by publishing content on our blog each week.

By Christina Nicol December 30,