Equestrian Statue of Philip IV

The Equestrian Statue of Philip IV, 1640, by Pietro Tacca, displays the Spanish King on top of a horse holding a baton . In the bronze statue located in Madrid, Philip IV is wearing military armor and appears in a triumphant position, with his horse in an upward stance. By portraying Philip IV in this format, Tacca is displaying the Spanish King more like a high military general rather than just a stately king who lives in a palace, supporting the narrative that the Spanish King is a soldier in his own right and a source of military power.

The Equestrian Statue of Philip IV holds many similarities to equestrian statues of the past, like the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, 175 AD. In this bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor, Marcus is on top of a horse with his right arm outstretched. Similar to the equestrian statue of Philip IV, this statue of Marcus Aurelius depicts him in a position of power, with Marcus about to address troops and sitting in a position of grandeur on top of a horse. One difference between the two statues is that in the statue of Marcus Aurelius, he is unarmed, which may reflect more on his principles as someone to protect peace rather than a leader intent on military victory. By including arms on the Equestrian Statue of Philip IV, the Spanish Royal Family was emphasizing how the Spanish King was a military leader that carried power throughout the Spanish Empire.