Equestrian statuette of Archduke of Austria Ferdinand Charles (1628-1662)

This magnificent equestrian statuette dating to the middle of the 17th century depicts the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Charles (1628-1662). The latter is portrayed in all his glory on his majestic horse, dressed in his splendid armour with his abundant curly hair falling down over his shoulders. His horse is steadily trotting with its head slightly tilted to the right. The bronze has been meticulously elaborated down to the finest details: from the Archduke’s armour, his face, the spurs on his boots until the saddle, the reins and the halter on the horse. Across his chest the Duke is wearing a large silk scarf, tied together on his back by an elaborate knot, its ends lined with lace dangling.

There is a bronze equestrian statuette, attributed to Caspar Gras, that is nearly identical to the present group, at the Museum Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid (inv. 00145). Another, slightly more different, gilded variant depicting Archduke Ferdinand Charles and also attributed to Caspar Gras is housed at the Tyrolean State Museum. The horse but also the rider of these statues follows the model of the famous ancient statue of Marcus Aurelius that formerly stood in the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, but was more directly based on Daniele da Volterra's variation of it for his monument to King Henry II of France (1519-1559). The latter statue clearly also inspired an equestrian gilded bronze statuette of Philippe IV, attributed to Pietro Tacca and now housed at the Prado (inv. E000444).