The figure is one of many repeating the composition of the equestrian statue of the Elector of Bavaria Maximilian II Emanuel, made in 1714 by Guillaume (Guillelmus) de Groff (1680–1742) of Antwerp and installed in the Elector’s residence in Munich. The figures in this group, depicting, among others, King Louis XIV of France, King George I and King William III of England and King Karl XII of Sweden, repeat the arrangement of the horse and rider, omitting the figure of the defeated Turk lying under the horse’s hoofs and the winged genus hovering above the ruler; both these elements are visible in the Munich original. The closest to the figure depicting August II is the equestrian statue of Louis XIV. The horse’s pose is nearly identical, the mane is similar, as is the form of the leopard’s skin under the saddle and the folds on the cloak. The fact that all the above figures were made in the same studio is confirmed by the technique used. In the figure of August II, as in the others, the figure of the horse, the saddlecloth of leopard’s skin and the figure of the rider were cast separately and mounted later. The substantial similarity between the sculptures in this group allow a hypothetical recreation of the missing fragments: the shape of the reins once held by August II was probably the same as those in the figure of the King of France. The principal feature which makes the works unique is the individual approach to the manner of depicting the monarchs, i.e. a faithful depiction of the facial features and differentiation of the clothes. While Louis XIV is represented in all’antica attire, August II is shown in contemporary armour and a short wig, fashionable at that time. This approach to the Wettin monarch resembles the equestrian portrait of August II painted by Louis de Silvestre c. 1718
[Artur Badach]