Have you noticed how the horse in the Phillip IV Statue seems to defy gravity? The Phillip IV Statue is more than just a pretty sculpture. It is a testament to art and science.
The bronze baroque statue of Phillip IV stands in the center of the Plaza de Oriente. This statue is a unique masterpiece of art and mathematics. Felipe IV commissioned the statue. He wanted it to stand in the newly created Parque del Retiro park.
Diego Velázquez paintings inspired the statue. The horse rears up as if in a battle. The entire weight rests on the rear legs. This stance was unique for a bronze equestrian statue. In the 17th century, many thought this impossible.
The statue required a frame that weighed nine tonnes. This was all supported by the off-centered rear legs. Pietro Tacca believed the statue was possible. He needed Galileo’s mathematical genius. Galileo had to perform exact calculations. These calculations would prevent the statue from toppling.
Galileo’s original calculations and hand-drawn designs are still in existence in Italy. The statue stays upright because of the position of the center of gravity. It is as far back as possible. The rear of the horse is solid bronze. This gives it the majority of the weight. The front is hollow.
Galileo determined the precise weights and forces. He proclaimed it would stand forever. Pietro Tacca began the sculpture in 1634. He completed it six years later in 1640. Soon after, Pietro Tacca died. Many suggest this was his finest work.
Felipe IV did not like the statue initially. He thought the face was completely wrong. The statue of Felipe IV was decapitated for six months. A new head was fashioned to the king’s approval.
The statue was originally in the Parque del Retiro grounds. Queen Isabella II moved it to the Plaza de Oriente in 1843. The Phillip IV Statue now stands in the center of Madrid’s most pleasant plazas. It is classified as baroque in style.
The great artistic importance of this work is that it is about the first equestrian statue in which the horse supported itself only on its hind legs. During the following centuries, this type of equestrian statues, examples of which you can see in large European cities such as Vienna.
So, as you gaze upon the Phillip IV Statue, remember the blend of art, science, and royal ego. It is a symbol of Madrid itself.