How to base an equestrian sculpture?
The Essential Equestrian Sculpture: History & Characteristics
The horse, scientifically known as Equus ferus caballus, has been humanity's closest animal companion for millennia.
As such, depictions of horses have existed for just as long, their appearance evolving with the history of art. Small or large, made of iron, steel, or wood, they consistently symbolize renown and power.
Ancient Greeks were renowned for their equestrian sculptures, often featuring mythological heroes on horseback. Romans also created equestrian sculptures, celebrating generals and emperors mounted on horses.
Each era has its own representation of the horse.
In modern times, equestrian sculpture has been used to glorify military acts, and today, abstract, modernist, and even minimalist sculptures have emerged.
What is a statue depicting a figure on horseback called?
A statue depicting a horse and its rider is called an equestrian statue. It represents a figure mounted on a horse. The equestrian statue holds a unique place in the field of sculpture due to the technical difficulty and cost of its creation. Nevertheless, a great number of such representations exist.
The attitude of the horse carrying its rider is of utmost importance in an equestrian statue.
Particular focus is placed on the movement of the horse's legs.
Thus, the position of the horse's legs carries a very specific meaning.
The attitude of the horse carrying its rider is of utmost importance in an equestrian statue.
Particular focus is placed on the movement of the horse's legs.
Thus, the position of the horse's legs carries a very specific meaning.
What is the meaning of a horse's two legs in an equestrian statue?
Understanding them allows for a deeper insight into the life of the rider depicted.
Observe carefully if:
- Both of the horse's front legs are in the air. This signifies the rider died in battle.
- The right leg is raised, indicating the fighter was assassinated off the battlefield.
- The left leg is in the air, meaning the fighter died from their wounds.
This symbolism is only valid if the horse is ridden by a rider. However, there are also many equestrian sculptures where the horse is "free."
In such cases, the animal exudes a sense of power and freedom.
Understanding them allows for a deeper insight into the life of the rider depicted.
Observe carefully if:
- Both of the horse's front legs are in the air. This signifies the rider died in battle.
- The right leg is raised, indicating the fighter was assassinated off the battlefield.
- The left leg is in the air, meaning the fighter died from their wounds.
This symbolism is only valid if the horse is ridden by a rider. However, there are also many equestrian sculptures where the horse is "free."
In such cases, the animal exudes a sense of power and freedom.
Equestrian statue
Placed indoors, an equestrian sculpture signifies: energy, success, happiness, and prosperity.
The Essential Horse Sculpture
A true passion for some or a symbol of power for others, a horse statue rarely leaves one indifferent.
Over time, it has become an essential element of interior decoration.
In traditional Hindu beliefs, there are even specific ways to position an equestrian statue in the home.
Vastu shastra (vāstu śāstra) is the ancient Indian science of architecture. It is a Sanskrit word that can be literally translated as "the science of architecture."
When applying Vastu principles, one asks: Is the horse centerpiece good for the house? Keeping a horse statue at home is considered auspicious as it signifies energy, success, happiness, and prosperity. According to Vastu, horse figurines should be kept in the south corner.
The magical image of the horse is far from exclusively Hindu.
Let's recall the mystical aura surrounding the horseshoe in Western culture.
The superstition and "magical" aspect of the horseshoe partly stem from the Greeks and also from Christianity. They believed that the horseshoe had a repellent power against evil. Moreover, it had a crescent shape. The crescent was at the time synonymous with fertility and luck.
This superstition, adopted by Christians, led them to use it to ward off evil creatures and the devil.
The imagery surrounding the horse and its representation makes it a very special object.
As mount makers, we must keep all these specificities in mind to offer a custom mount capable of preserving this magic.
Morphological Custom Mount
Like all manual disciplines, the mounting of artworks has several aspects.
Beyond the different materials we can use—steel, wood, brass—the very appearance of the mount itself has its own characteristics.
Thus, for certain sculptures, we will use what is called a morphological custom mount.
What is a morphological mount?
A morphological mount is a mount that is placed on a human or animal figure and serves to restore its missing proportions.
For example, for a sculpted head, one might decide to create a mount that restores the character's almost real body size, rather than creating a 20 cm high mount, which would make the sculpture appear disproportionate.
For a horse figure, the choice of a morphological mount is highly recommended, especially in the case of a sculpted horse head. Depending on where it broke off from the body, the mount's rod will substitute the missing body part, often the neck, and thus allow the rod to be fixed to the base of the mount. The proportions of the horse's body are thus respected.
The morphological mount appears to be a solution in the specific case of a sculpted horse head. But there are other perfectly suitable custom mount solutions.
Thus, for certain sculptures, we will use what is called a morphological custom mount.
What is a morphological mount?
A morphological mount is a mount that is placed on a human or animal figure and serves to restore its missing proportions.
For example, for a sculpted head, one might decide to create a mount that restores the character's almost real body size, rather than creating a 20 cm high mount, which would make the sculpture appear disproportionate.
For a horse figure, the choice of a morphological mount is highly recommended, especially in the case of a sculpted horse head. Depending on where it broke off from the body, the mount's rod will substitute the missing body part, often the neck, and thus allow the rod to be fixed to the base of the mount. The proportions of the horse's body are thus respected.
The morphological mount appears to be a solution in the specific case of a sculpted horse head. But there are other perfectly suitable custom mount solutions.
Custom mount with drilling.
The work of creating a custom mount consists of fading into the background to highlight the artwork it supports.
There are several technical solutions to hold the artwork on the mount.
The mount maker can secure the artwork with hooks; tightly fastened hooks can support the object. This technique is used for specific objects like "coco-fesses" (sea beans), for example (see article on coco-fesses).
The object can also simply be placed on the mount, often in a specially adapted structure, as shown by this mount for pocket terrestrial globes.
The last technique involves drilling into the sculpture and inserting a rod inside. The sculpture is then perfectly held.
This technique is always carried out with the client's agreement and requires the installation of an insert in the sculpture.
There are several technical solutions to hold the artwork on the mount.
The mount maker can secure the artwork with hooks; tightly fastened hooks can support the object. This technique is used for specific objects like "coco-fesses" (sea beans), for example (see article on coco-fesses).
The object can also simply be placed on the mount, often in a specially adapted structure, as shown by this mount for pocket terrestrial globes.
The last technique involves drilling into the sculpture and inserting a rod inside. The sculpture is then perfectly held.
This technique is always carried out with the client's agreement and requires the installation of an insert in the sculpture.
Examples of drilling intervention with a black steel or plexiglass mount.
Fixed mount
The objects we are asked to mount come from different origins and have different stories. This is what we enjoy about this profession. The narrative of an artwork's history helps us adapt a mount.
For example, for very old pieces, such as archaeological artifacts, we prefer gentler mounting approaches, i.e., without drilling. Some pieces can support fanciful custom mounts, while others reveal their full beauty with classic custom mounts.
For example, for very old pieces, such as archaeological artifacts, we prefer gentler mounting approaches, i.e., without drilling. Some pieces can support fanciful custom mounts, while others reveal their full beauty with classic custom mounts.
For the bronze horse sculpture presented below, we created a fixed custom black steel mount. The sculpture nested into a sort of cradle designed to its dimensions. This solution is the most commonly used. It's truly custom-made as the cradle perfectly fits the horse's belly. The difficulty in this type of realization lies in the position of the support rod.
It must be placed in the correct spot. Indeed, if the rod is poorly located on the base, the horse sculpture will tend to fall out of alignment, whereas if positioned correctly, the balance between the horse and the mount will be perfect.
Bronze horse sculpture on a black steel mount
Front view
It must be placed in the correct spot. Indeed, if the rod is poorly located on the base, the horse sculpture will tend to fall out of alignment, whereas if positioned correctly, the balance between the horse and the mount will be perfect.
Bronze horse sculpture on a black steel mountFront view
This stone horse sculpture is hollow underneath, unlike the previous example. To create its base, we used this particularity. Instead of conforming to the sculpture's outer shape, this base inserts directly inside.
The custom mount allows you to secure your equestrian sculpture on a support and thus keep it stable. The mount also protects the object.
Regarding object protection, other solutions exist, such as protection with a plexiglass cover. This type of creation is only done by quote. The covers themselves are custom-made to museum quality.
Our custom mount project for Longchamp.
Longchamp, the French luxury brand, needs no introduction. The brand has used a galloping horse as its emblem since its creation by Jean Cassegrain in 1948.
Referencing the eponymous racecourse.
We regularly collaborate with this brand. And often, a horse staging is requested. See blog....
The objective of this project was to create a true wooden pedestal to install a horse sculpture. This wooden pedestal would then be covered with a sticker in the colors of the famous Toilet Paper magazine.
To celebrate the collaboration between the two brands.
So we set to work and began by creating the wooden pedestal.
Referencing the eponymous racecourse.
We regularly collaborate with this brand. And often, a horse staging is requested. See blog....
The objective of this project was to create a true wooden pedestal to install a horse sculpture. This wooden pedestal would then be covered with a sticker in the colors of the famous Toilet Paper magazine.
To celebrate the collaboration between the two brands.
So we set to work and began by creating the wooden pedestal.
Preparatory drawing: the idea takes shape
Follow us behind the scenes of the Longchamp corner installation at Le Bon Marché.
Wooden pedestal with ogee moulding
Installation of the Toilet Paper sticker on our wooden pedestal.
Unpacking the horse
Installation of the support rod
Installation of horse rod on the pedestal
For this type of project, the work always begins with sending a 3D view. The Longchamp teams project the corner as they envision it. Then comes the reflection phase: what material to use, can existing displays be reused, are we obliged to recreate everything?
For this project, we designed and transported the pedestal and the rod, while Longchamp took care of the horse.
Here, the drilling technique was favored. The horse is drilled to place the metal support rod. This rod was then nestled into the pedestal, previously covered with its sticker.
For this project, we designed and transported the pedestal and the rod, while Longchamp took care of the horse.
Here, the drilling technique was favored. The horse is drilled to place the metal support rod. This rod was then nestled into the pedestal, previously covered with its sticker.
Final result: an equestrian sculpture on a wooden pedestal
Our equestrian adventure continues with the mounting of Ace Impact's horseshoes
With the Ace Impact project, we slightly step outside the realm of equestrian sculpture.
Indeed, it was no longer about a sculpture representing a horse but about mounting the shoes of a real horse! And not just any horse. This is Ace Impact, the winner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2023. This horse is a star in its field. It won everything despite its young age. That's why the owner of Haras de Beaumont, where Ace Impact resides, decided to have two of his horseshoes mounted and offer them to each of the two owners.
Ace Impact, a legendary horse, undefeated throughout his career.
The request from Haras de Beaumont was very specific: to mount the two horseshoes and present them under an antique glass dome.
They were able to choose the dome they needed from the hundred or so domes we have in our shop.
➡️ Want to know more about the history of wedding domes? Visit the Resources section or 👇🏻 to discover our blog post
The horseshoe mounting project
The globe is chosen, the type of mount also. All that remains for us is the assembly of the various elements.
Here are the two globes that were chosen. In this specific case, the glass of the globe is antique, but the bases have been replaced by contemporary wooden bases made in our workshops.
Here is one of the horseshoes in question. It's important to know that these are not just ordinary stable horseshoes. We are dealing with horseshoes of exceptional quality here. They are not made of steel but of titanium. This material gives them incredible lightness.
Here is the final result. The horseshoes are placed on a wooden block with custom black steel mounts. We also created small brass plaques with the horse's name.
This project truly excited us. Since then, we have been closely following the life of this exceptional horse.
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