Over the centuries, its pose and dynamic presence inspired the way other rulers were portrayed. Notably, the larger-than-life Marcus Aurelius, who oversaw warfare in his reign, has his arm in the adlocutio salute that an emperor would give his troops, but he holds no weapons and has no military trappings. Shaping popular perception of benevolence and peace through statuary became just as essential as reinforcing power.
Mezzatesta writes in The Art Bulletin. Marcus Aurelius was hardly the only Roman leader to be rendered on horseback, with this gesture, but he quickly became the most famous, owing to his prominent position in Rome. The influence spread across Europe during the Renaissance, when there was an increased interest in the art of the ancient world. Thompson writes in History and Memory. Privacy Policy Contact Us You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking on the provided link on any marketing message.
Equestrian statues were a sign of cultural status. They were expensive and complicated to design, necessitating an artist to tackle both the human form and the movement of a horse. The imposing statues also physically and symbolically elevated a recent ruler to an ancient paragon.
Sign up and read the rest of the article! Thanks to OS Templates. Home Rome: history and culture. Equestrian statues in Rome The only great equestrian statue of Roman times that has come to this day is that of Marcus Aurelius; the splendid jewel of fusion art in Imperial Rome has been saved as it was believed that the character represented was Constantine because the statue was found near the Lateran where was the domus of Helena, mother of Constantine. Animals Wild Cities This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city Caracals have learned to hunt around the urban edges of Cape Town, though the predator faces many threats, such as getting hit by cars.
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Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs. Meet the people trying to help. For getting to this objective, the rider needs to acquire a relaxed body, with legs hanging low under their own weight. The Emperor has indeed a good seat here, and the sculptor has succeeded a handsome contrast between the energy of the horse and the tranquil, relaxed attitude of the rider.
The left one is very likely holding the reins, and the half open fingers show a remarkable delicacy in the contact with the horse mouth, thus softening the effect of the Roman curb which was brutally severe. The right hand, I would think, is making a gesture of apeasement and protection over the Empire.
On the whole, attitude and movement, in my view, are the components of the beauty of this statue. It translates the majesty of the Emperor superbly, and his control upon his mount evokes his power and control upon the Roman world with efficient truth.
Of course, we are far away from the astonishing perfection of the Parthenon Frieze and the Head of the Silene Horse but how to do better than Phidias and the Greeks!!!
But in this masterpiece, we feel the Roman formidable power, and the calm and noble character of Marcus Aurelius. It is a work of art that has left a long lasting mark in the European culture. For example, several equestrian statues of the Sun King were inspired fom this one. Will: I cannot do you justice, Will, by answering in kind. This is a wonderful comment essay , full of a knowledge that far surpasses my own.
I can only read and learn. I wish it were true that this is a good forum. As you see, few feel knowledgeable enough to answer you. You have done for me what I mean to do for my readers: to make them look more closely at a particular work of art. And inform or teach them. I have read my Churchill is that from My Early Life?
But I am sorry to say I am not a rider, nor have I spent time observing or drawing horses except while watching them on parade or in paintings. But I can see that what you write is competent and your remarks are right on.
Saludos and apologies for my silence these days. Thank you so much for your kind words, Swallows. Hi enjoyed reading this , I looking at the possibilty of writing a disserataion on equine sculpture for my degree…. San Hart: Thanks. I see you exchanged the poney for a Harley. Un saludo. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account.
Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Best Artists. Skip to content. Regisole a modern recreation Piazza del Duomo, Pavia public domain photo by Superzen When Leonardo da Vinci was working on his giant clay horse for the Duke of Milan, he went to Pavia to see this figure and jotted these observations in his notebook: [Its] movement more than anything else is deserving of praise.
Study of a horse by Leonardo, c. Only Leonardo could show us a horse by Leonardo. Tacca Did the Trick The two Renaissance statues by Donatello and Verrocchio were the models for a hundred and fifty years.
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3. Share this: Email Facebook Print. Like this: Like Loading Bookmark the permalink. April 22, at pm. Lynne Diligent says:. April 23, at am. Ken Januski says:. April 23, at pm.
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