The Equestrian statues had as their model the bronze sculpture of Marcus Aurelius on the Capitol in Rome, the only one from antiquity to have been preserved. Giambologna’s statuette is a reduction of his monument to Cosimo the Great in Florence, but the facial features are reminiscent of Emperor Rudolf II. The sculpture was probably taken as war booty from Prague in 1648 and later entered the collection of the royal councillor Claes Fleming.