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38 Charles IX on horseback

In ancient times, equestrian sculptures were a type of portrait used to honor supreme rulers. A classic example is the colossal bronze equestrian statue of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (173–176, Capitoline Museums, Rome). That statue, standing more than four meters tall, became a model in the Renaissance for the monarchs of Europe who wished to have their own equestrian portraits made in a variety of materials and techniques, including paintings, bronze statues, marble reliefs, and medals. This relief is thought to have been produced in the workshop of Germain Pilon, one of the most important French sculptors of the latter half of the sixteenth century, based on a model made by Pilon himself. From the rider’s facial features, it is thought to represent King Charles IX of France (r. 1560–1574) of the House of Valois.