Early 16th century

Horse of San Marco

This sculpture is a refined miniature of one of the four life-size bronze horses that adorn the façade of the basilica of San Marco in the heart of Venice. Famous examples of ancient Roman sculpture, the horses were taken by crusaders from the Hippodrome of Constantinople during the sack of the city in 1204. This statuette pays tribute to the influence of ancient sculpture on the imaginations of Renaissance artists and collectors. More generally, around 1500 statuettes of walking horses became popular as reflections of the monumental equestrian statues being made by artists such as Donatello, Verrocchio, and Leonardo da Vinci.