The patinated bronze group portrays a quadriga, a type of chariot pulled by four horses. The form has a rich artistic tradition, with perhaps the most celebrated example being the Horses of Saint Mark (also known as the Triumphal Quadriga), now in Venice but originally produced during the Classical Roman period. In London, the large bronze group atop Wellington Arch is another prominent example of the type.
The present bronze group depicts a chariot occupied by a single male charioteer, his flowing clothing rippled and thrown about by the intensity of the action. The chariot is pulled by four rearing horses, each of which is superbly rendered in a naturalistic, animated manner. The entire group is set on an integral, naturalistically formed base.
The base is signed ‘Campaiola’.
Details
Artist / Maker
By Campaiola, Tommaso (Italian, fl. early 20th Century)