Description

David, the eccentric artist, created a monument to the great King Wenceslav’s riding horse hanging from the ceiling. King Vaclav, standing upright in a heroic posture, was unwittingly riding on the belly of a dead horse with its four legs suspended. You’ll hear your guide describe the statue, a monument to broken systems and political power. Monument itself, however, looks like a dark joke that Czechs play all the time. This monument literally overturns the typical image of a man riding a heroic steed, as the saint is depicted riding the upturned body of a dead horse hanging from the ceiling by its hooves. The horse’s lifeless body hung limp from knotted ropes from the ceiling of the hall. A depiction in stark contrast to the traditional equestrian statue Monument, which features powerful and noble horses full of vitality and visceral energy. Also different from the traditional equestrian statue monument, saint Vaclav the man on horseback is stiff and clumsy compared to the dominance and control displayed by the traditional rider.