The Rearing Horse and Mounted Warrior is a bronze sculpture that is attributed to the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. Scholars believe that it was cast from a clay or wax model in the early 16th century, and it is estimated to have been sculpted between 1483-1498. The artwork depicts Francis I of France on a destrier horse, with the horse resembling the writhing stallions seen in Leonardo’s long-lost mural, The Battle of Anghiari. It can be found at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts as part of its permanent exhibit.
Leonardo da Vinci was known for his fascination with horses, and he made numerous small sketches of them throughout his life. He was requested by King Francis I to focus on rearing horses in his later years, which explains why this sculpture features a rearing horse. The artwork is an individual study that unites various nature studies into an expressive posture. This bearance highlights Leonardo’s interest in capturing movement and emotion in art.
