Although these horses may be made of metal, they have actually traversed an incredible amount of land. The four horses you see above me are the Horses of Saint Mark and they hold a large amount of history, represent several strong emotions, and signify the value of ancient art in European history. The Horses of Saint Mark are a small detail in the city of Venice and expanse of Italy as a whole, but they possess great significance in European history. For my research, I used Charles Freeman’s book The Horses of St. Mark’s: A Story of Triumph in Byzantium, Paris and Venice as my source. I first heard of these majestic creations in the novel Inferno by Dan Brown. Robert Langdon’s description of the horses’ unique history influenced me to learn more about their history, representation, and cultural significance.
To ultimately understand
the horses’ significance, we must first examine the horses’ lengthy and
intricate history. The origins of the horses are unknown, but there are several
legends that are believed to be the most likely. The first origin theory is
that Constantine looted the horses from Delphi, the second origin theory states
that the horses were brought to Constantinople from Rome, and the third main
theory is that they were made on the island of Chios by the Ancient Greeks. In
each theory, it is accepted that the horses ended up in Constantinople where
they spent several centuries. It is thought that the horses may have been
displayed in the hippodrome, an ancient Grecian stadium for chariot racing.
However, the horses did not stay there for long. In 1204 during the 4th
Crusade, Constantinople was plundered and the Venetians took the horses to
Venice, where they were placed on St. Mark’s Basilica (the location the
replicas hold today). In 1797 the horses move again when Napoleon invades
Venice and takes them to Paris. In Paris, they were placed on top of the Arc de
Triomphe du Carrousel. The horses quickly returned to Venice in 1815 when
Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. Remaining in Venice until World War I, the
horses were moved to Rome in 1917 but returned after the bombings in 1918.
After all their journeys, one would think that the horses would remain at their
place in St. Mark’s square. But, in 1983, the horses were taken down due to
atmospheric pollution and moved inside the Basilica Museum. The ones we see
currently are only replica’s. As you can most likely understand, the history of
these horses is linked to many turning points in European history. These four
copper stallions followed the founding of Constantinople to its demise in the
Fourth Crusade. They witnessed Venice’s greatness and fall in 1797, as well as
the triumphs of Napoleon. This small aspect of Venice reflects the rise and
fall of great empires in European history.
Now that we understand the history behind the horses,
let’s inspect what these creatures represent. Looking at the body language of
each horse, we derive a powerful aesthetic impact. The horses’ curved necks,
raised heads, and lifted front-leg is recognized body language for a display of
power in a stallion. Each wearing a collar, the horses are believed to have
been used for chariot racing. However, some believe that the collars were only
incorporated after the horses’ heads were severed for transport. Regardless, these
stallions are typically believed to be representative of triumph, but
ironically, they were also plunder. Their proud stance, coupled with their
large collars, exudes the feeling of triumph and power associated with winning
a chariot race or conquering a city.
Furthermore, these horses hold great significance not
only in their antique value, but in their relation of Greece and Rome to help
one understand the transformations that took place in early Europe. The antique
value of the horses lies in the fact that they are the only surviving
sculptural example of a quadriga, or a chariot drawn by four horses. However,
their depiction of success and triumph causes researchers to evaluate the
meaning of triumph. For instance, the success associated with triumph could
relate to winning a chariot race at Olympia, or the victory of a Roman general.
This commonality in vocabulary inspires researchers to look deeper and discover
the similarities in the transformations of the people of Greece and Rome. Greek
and Roman art were once thought to be two concrete ideas; however, the
uncertainty of the horses’ origin causes researchers to realize the blurring of
the once solid boundaries. Scholars now realize that Greek and Roman people
used similar styles. This small glimpse into how humans developed is due to the
history of St. Mark’s horses.
Why did these horses, as opposed to other sculptures,
survive the test of time? To answer this question, we must look at the culture
of the era they were constructed in. In the ancient world, there was an
appreciation of the importance of public display. The use of visuals,
especially 3D works such as sculptures, was fundamental to life in Greece and
Rome. Classical cities use a high proportion of their resources for images on
public display. The need to display magnificent works of art as indications of
strength was common. The horses, displayed in several cities as a sign of
power, help us to understand the pass usage of art as depictions of strength.
As the human developed throughout history, this need to own beautiful things as
a sign of wealth remains present. A current day example is the act of wealthy people
buying attractive, expensive cars with no intention of driving them. The cars
are simply a display of their incredible wealth. To summarize, the horses of
St. Mark have a long history which we can utilize to understand its
significance and ultimately relate to the developments of humans.
This
assignment, of having to pick a detail in the Piazza San Marco to research and
present on, has affected my appreciation of the Horses of Saint Marks Basilica;
I feel more connected with them. Sometimes even acting possessively, I walk by
them and announce, “look at my pretty horses” in a cooing voice. Now looking at
the horses, I think of their incredible significance and history, not just
their immense beauty. In reading chapters from Charles Freeman’s book The Horses of St. Mark’s: A Story of Triumph
in Byzantium, Paris and Venice, I became more educated not only about the
meaning and history of the horses, but about Venice as well. The horses’
history helped me learn a lot of European history, especially involving the
Venetian Empire’s rise and fall. I feel more informed when people reference the
Napoleonic period, and more knowledgeable on the value and influence of art as public
displays of power. In a way, this activity caused me to feel less like a
typical American tourist, and more like a student trying to learn more about
the city. It is as if by increasing my knowledge, I increased my imaginary
standing as a visitor of Venice. By learning more, I feel like a more active visitor,
hopefully gaining the respect and appreciation of the Venetian people.
No comments:
Post a Comment