Amazon on Horseback before 1906

Curator: Well, hello there! Doesn't she look fierce? This bronze sculpture, “Amazon on Horseback," comes to us from the studio of Franz von Stuck sometime before 1906. Look at that horse, practically trembling with pent-up power. What do you think? Editor: What strikes me is the immediate evocation of classical mythology combined with a darker, almost primal energy. It's a figure of authority but one that also feels untamed, barely restrained. Is it the slightly frantic pose of the horse, perhaps? Curator: It’s that tension that grips me, too. Stuck plays with that Symbolist fascination for the wilder edges of myth and female power. The Amazon—a potent emblem. And what's curious is she appears at once so heroic and terribly vulnerable. Her partial armor almost underscores it. Editor: The partially concealed form is particularly compelling when we consider the historical and evolving representations of female strength. The helmet hides her features, making her, in a way, universal—a symbol of strength in both war and feminine mystique. What are the specific symbolic connections you feel Stuck makes with her nakedness? Curator: Absolutely! Nakedness isn’t weakness here, but perhaps a flaunting of nature itself, raw instinct untamed. And there’s an eroticism, too, playing within the whole scene, which was very characteristic of Stuck’s oeuvre. He loved pushing those boundaries. It is very human, with conflicting impulses all fighting for dominance. And she is both dominatrix and sexualized trophy. Editor: That tension between eroticism and power feels palpable, creating layers of complexity. A primal force embodied in bronze—not just another illustration of myth, but an emblem of our innermost drives. The Städel Museum seems to be a place that would champion such depth and power. Curator: Exactly! We aim to capture this primal energy that radiates in all its dimensions, as an invitation to feel and sense it fully. Hopefully, this image leaves you buzzing, with more to think about.