Edinburgh (Princes Street) Monuments & Statues ??

Question

Difficult to word this question but I will try:

There is said to be meanings behind how these ''hero's'' are standing, sitting, looking... for example - if a man is on a horse rearing up, they are said to have died in battle.

Does anyone know if:

1. this is true

&

2. what the other ''postitions'' mean, eg. sitting, standing..

I live in edinburgh and have always wondered about this,

Thanks

Answer 1

This question was answered a year ago.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

So according to Brian M, the statues in Chicago follow the convention.

This question was answered 2 years ago and  according to Mara, in Washington only ten out of the thirty equestrian statues follow the convention.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

It seems to be an urban myth that the positioning of the horses feet has a some sort of code. for example. the Duke of Wellington's statue at the end of Princes Street opposite The Balmoral Hotel has both forelegs off the ground, and he definitely did not die in battle.

The best explanation I can find for the design and posture of equestrian statues is:-

Several sources note that "The number of the horse's feet taken up from the ground has nothing to do with any attribute of the person depicted and everything to do with the skill of the sculptor and his ability to overcome nearly insurmountable problems in solid geometry, stress of materials, and other aspects of civil engineering."

http://www.wrl.org/depts/ref/homework/co...

In general terms military statues are usually but not always on horseback. (Nelson is standing)

Royaly can be on horseback, standing or sitting depending on how they want to be depicted.  

Politicians and diplomats are usually standing, as if making a speech or reading a letter.

Poets authors and scientists are usually sitting as if at a desk or table.

I suppose the way people are depicted in statues depends on whether or not they are alive when the statue is commissioned and have any input as to how they are depicted.

Answer 2

for horses I believe it's supposed to be

2 legs off the ground- died in combat

1 leg off the ground- died from injuries they got in combat

all legs on the ground- died of natural causes.

I think this might be true of some statues but I don't think it's necessarily true for all of them ... have a look at this about American statues

http://www.snopes.com/military/statue.as...

Answer 3

This link gives the theory but based on American statues clames it to be false.

It could just be that American sculptors did not know the theory.

Answer 4

This is a myth. Equestrian statues of war and military heroes are not indicating anything by the placement of the horses hooves, Far too many counter-examples can be shown where the contrary is true.

The common wisdom contends that one hoof of the ground indicated wounded but recovered, two off the ground meant killed in action, and all four hooves firmly planted was supposed to indicate that the soldier was untouched in battle.

♣