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Anscavallo

Anscavallo is a sculpture located on Ansbach’s Palace Square, near the main entrance to the Residence. It was created by sculptor Jürgen Goertz and installed on 25 July 1993 following a competition of ideas for designing the square. The name combines “Ans-,” from Ansbach, with “-cavallo,” the Italian word for horse, and also alludes to cavalry. It is the largest of several artworks on the square. Other nearby features include two bus shelters with flying ducks on the roof and the Ansbachchantin fountain, which shows an Amazon drinking wine and various wheels symbolizing the busy traffic around it.

Anscavallo, a large abstract equine sculpture on a paved square with flower planters and streetlamps nearby.
Anscavallo stands on a sunny public square, framed by flower planters, streetlamps, and historic buildings.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Anscavallo, a dark abstract horse monument in a town square beside flower beds and buildings.
The Anscavallo sculpture stands in a town square with nearby buildings, cars, and a flower bed.
© · Public domain
A child with a bicycle stands on a cobblestone plaza facing the Anscavallo horse sculpture.
The Anscavallo horse sculpture stands in an open plaza with a child and bicycle in the foreground.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Anscavallo, a dark equine sculpture, stands in a town square at night near a building with an illuminated Platengarten sign.
Anscavallo stands in the town square near the illuminated Platengarten building at night.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Anscavallo’s dark metallic horse head and neck with a stylized bridle and perforated patterns.
A close-up of Anscavallo showing the sculpture’s horse head and arched neck.
© · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleAnscavallo
TypeSculpture

Creator

ArtistJürgen Goertz

Historical context

Installation contextInstalled as a result of an ideas competition for the design of the square
Installation date25 July 1993

Location and ownership

Location referenceAnsbach
LocationSchlossplatz (castle square), in front of the main entrance to the Residenz of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach in Ansbach

Materials

MaterialBronze

Physical characteristics

Rear pedestal detailThree golden hemispheres in the recess of the rear pedestal, symbolizing horse dung
Rear support legDouble support leg with a Baroque-style profile
SubjectHorse
HindquartersPlump
BodyApproximately ring-shaped, cylindrical
TailDisheveled tail made of cast vine-wood hair
HeadThree-eyed
NeckSwan-like
ChestEgg-shaped
Front legA single turned, wooden-like rod
CompositionThe sculpture consists of a front part and a rear part with differing forms and meanings
StructureHorse standing on two separate pedestals
ManeMade of gear parts

Iconography and meaning

Front part interpretationRepresents technology
Rear part interpretationRepresents nature because of its more realistic form
Art-historical referenceReminiscent of Baroque riding horses
Other referenceAlso evokes Kaspar Hauser's hobby horse
Historical referenceRefers to Ansbach as a garrison town at the time
Conceptual themeThe connection between tradition and modernity

Other

Name meaningDerived from "Ans-" from Ansbach and "-cavallo" from the Italian word for horse; also intended to allude to cavalry

Significance

Relative sizeThe largest of several artworks on the Schlossplatz