Monument to Prince Józef Poniatowski in Warsaw, Bronze equestrian statue at Presidential Palace, Warsaw, Poland
The Monument to Prince Józef Poniatowski rises from a rectangular marble base in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace on Krakowskie Przedmieście. The mounted rider holds a sword in his right hand, while the horse stands in a calm posture and the rider's clothing recalls Roman general attire.
Bertel Thorvaldsen created the work in 1832 in Rome, but the original was destroyed during the Second World War. After the war, it was rebuilt between 1948 and 1951 from a preserved model.
Thorvaldsen chose to portray the prince as an ancient general rather than a 19th-century Polish nobleman, which carried a political message at the time. The Roman uniform and sword connect the fallen commander to classical ideals of sacrifice and honor, which visitors can immediately recognize in the courtyard.
The courtyard is accessible during daytime and sits directly on one of the main streets of the old town, which makes getting there easy. A short walk through the area reveals other monuments and government buildings nearby.
The present bronze cast was not made in Poland but in Denmark, where the Thorvaldsen Museum had kept the old plaster model. This Danish gift allowed the faithful reconstruction of the lost monument after the war.
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