Neoclassical Terracotta Horse Head

During a recent visit to the Archaeological Museum of Naples we disco ères the original of this magnificent terracotta horse's head. It is the only existing part of an equestrian monument that the Aragonese king Alfonso V the Magnanimous (1396-1458) had commissioned from Donatello (1386-1466). It was intended for the upper arch of the main gate of the Castel Nuovo in Naples. For several reasons the equestrian statue was never made, mainly because of the death of the sovereign and that of the sculptor. Thanks to Lorenzo the Magnificent the head arrived in Naples in 1471 as a gift to the king's protégé Diomede Carafa. He installed it in the courtyard of his Palazzo where it was admired as an antique piece, and not as a work by Donatello until 1806.

Whether it is from the Roman period or the 15th century, the antique inspiration is undeniable. Our terracotta head faithfully reproduces the bronze original. It is of high quality and has a beautiful patina of time. It fits in both an old decor and a contemporary interior.