Horse, Contemporary sculpture in Lucerna Palace, Prague, Czech Republic
Horse is David Černý's 1999 sculpture in the passage of Lucerna Palace, hung by ropes from the dome with no base. A dark grey rider in a cape sits upright on the belly of an upside-down, dead horse whose tongue hangs out, gripping a thin rod in his right hand.
The artwork was created in 1999 as an artistic response to a traditional equestrian statue located at another notable plaza in the city. This modern interpretation directly references the historical iconography of the nation.
The rider keeps the proud posture and lance of Josef Václav Myslbek's 1912 equestrian statue of Saint Wenceslas on Wenceslas Square, but sits on the belly of a dead horse hanging by its legs. Mariusz Szczygieł reads it as Czech self-irony and resilience toward national taboos.
The sculpture is located in a publicly accessible passage and can be viewed at any time of day without admission fees. The location is central and easy to reach on foot, making a spontaneous visit convenient.
The work forces visitors to lift their gaze and view the familiar iconography from a completely new perspective. This physical action creates a playful confrontation with an important symbol of the city.
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