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Equestrian Statue of Frederick V

The Equestrian statue of Frederick V is located at the center of Amalienborg Square in Copenhagen, framed by the four symmetrical wings of Amalienborg Palace. It depicts the king in classical dress, crowned with laurels, with one hand extended and holding a baton. Commissioned by the Danish East India Company, the monument was designed in the neoclassical style by Jacques Saly in 1768 and cast in bronze in 1771. Its composed dignity and calm are characteristic of Danish depictions of monarchs. It is regarded as one of the notable equestrian monuments of its time.

Frederick V equestrian statue on a tall marble pedestal in a sunny square, with people nearby and a green-domed church in the background.
The Frederick V equestrian statue stands in a cobblestone square framed by classical buildings and a domed church.
August 2006 © · CC BY 2.0
Frederick V equestrian statue on a marble pedestal with chain fencing in a snowy square
Frederick V equestrian statue stands on a marble pedestal in a snow-covered square.
© pandrcutts · CC BY-SA 2.0
Frederick V equestrian statue in bronze against an overcast sky, with rooftops below.
The Frederick V equestrian statue stands above the rooftops beneath a cloudy sky.
December 2009 © · CC BY 2.0
Frederick V equestrian statue seen from behind on a marble pedestal, with a domed church and classical buildings in the background.
The Frederick V equestrian statue stands in front of a domed church and surrounding classical buildings in Copenhagen.
June 2021 © · CC BY 2.0
Frederick V equestrian statue in bronze, shown from a low angle with the rider pointing forward on a rearing horse.
Frederick V Equestrian Statue seen from below, with the rider gesturing forward atop a moving horse.
May 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitleEquestrian statue of Frederick V of Denmark
TypeEquestrian statue
SubjectKing Frederick V of Denmark

Historical context

Commissioned in1752
Commissioned byAdam Gottlob Moltke, head of the Asiatic Company
Commission purposeA gift for the king
FundingOffered by the Asiatic Company
Historical significanceConsidered one of the most outstanding equestrian monuments of its time
Stylistic significanceThe king's dignified and tranquil depiction is described as typical of Danish representations of monarchs

Creator

StyleNeoclassical
Design date1768
Artist nationalityFrench
ArtistJacques Saly

Discovery and provenance

Casting occurredTwo years after the king's death
Casting audience300 invited guests
Casting duration3 minutes and a few seconds
Amount of bronze poured40,000 pounds
Bronze composition10 parts zinc, 4 parts tin, 0.5 parts lead, and 100 parts copper
Time spent on final finishingAnother two years
Method of removing statue from foundryA wall of the Giethuset had to be broken through
Transportation to the squareOn 15 August 1768 at 4:30 a.m., 60 sailors pulled the statue on a sled from Kongens Nytorv to Amalienborg Square
Ceremonial gun salutes during transport27 cannon shots when the rider figure passed Kongens Nytorv and the same number upon arrival in Frederiksstaden in the afternoon
Installation methodRaised onto the marble pedestal with capstans and pulleys
Post-installation finishingCovered to secure it, finish it, and chisel the bronze surface
Foundry preparationsGor and five assistants demolished the roof of the Giethuset, the former cannon foundry at the site of today's Royal Theatre, to build a larger furnace
Casting date2 March 1768
Bronze casting preparationsTook four more years after the plaster model was presented
Bronze caster's arrival in Denmark1764
First sketch shown to the king4 December 1754
Contract dateSpring 1752
Selection of sculptorChosen by the Danish government after Count Johan Hartvig Ernst Bernstorff asked Joachim Wasserschlebe in Paris to find a suitable French sculptor; Edmé Bouchardon declined and recommended Jacques Saly
Arrival in Denmark8 October 1753
Sculptor's entourage on arrivalHis parents, his two sisters, and at least one assistant
Work began1753
Bronze casterPierre Gor (Pierre Gors), a Frenchman
Preliminary studyDetailed study of the king's horses in the royal stables
King approval of sketchAugust 1755
Small model shown to the kingNovember 1758
Small model sizeAbout one meter high
Small model casts locationThe Academy collection and the State Collection, now the Danish National Gallery
Large model made1761 to 1763
Large model materialPlaster
Large model presented3 February 1764
Large model presented toThe Academy and the king

History and restoration

Mosaic cladding removedThe mosaic cladding by Johan Daniel Herholdt from 1886 was removed during the 1998 work
Restoration workThe sculpture was restored and the pedestal renewed
Restoration fundingFinancial support from the A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal foundation
Restoration and pedestal renewal1998
FinancingThe Asiatic Company paid off the bill over twenty years
Total completion time14 years
Total cost500,000 Rigsdaler
Saly left Denmark2 July 1774
Final payment to Saly8,000 Reichstalers instead of the expected gratuity of 50,000 Reichstalers
Additional decorative elements completed laterBronze reliefs and inscription plaques on the pedestal, and the surrounding fence, were made in 1773/74 after Struensee was overthrown in 1772
Saly's positions lostHe lost his honorary posts and was dismissed as director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
Regent affecting the projectJohann Friedrich Struensee, acting as sole regent for Christian VII from 1770, imposed drastic economies
Official completion date1768
Unveiling date1 August 1771

Physical characteristics

Total height including baseAlmost ... (exact height not given)
WeightAbout 22 tons
PoseThe king is shown seated on a horse, in classical attire, crowned with a laurel wreath, with one hand extended and holding a staff or baton

Materials

MaterialBronze

Appearance

InterpretationThe depiction of the king shows apparent dignity and tranquility
InspirationSaly said he was inspired by the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, Juan de Bolonia's equestrian Henry IV on the Pont Neuf in Paris, and perhaps most strongly by Edmé Bouchardon's Louis XV in the Place Louis XV (now Place de la Concorde)
Initial portrait modelFrederick V is shown as a Roman emperor crowned with laurels; the model has been lost

Location and ownership

Current locationCenter of Amalienborg Square, Copenhagen, framed by the four symmetrical wings of Amalienborg Palace
Intended locationCenter of the courtyard of Amalienborg Palace
Current surroundingsFour contemporary street lamps still surround the statue

Other

Small bronze castsSaly made some small bronze casts
Maquette receptionThe king applauded it
Surviving copies of the maquetteCopies still exist in museums in Copenhagen