Velasquez’s Portrait: Philip IV

This equestrian statue of Philip IV, was made by Pietro Tacca in 1640, based on 2 portraits of the monarch, created by Velazquez. 

Tacca begun the bronze horse sculpture in the classic position, resting on three legs. Most equestrian sculptures of that time were in this way, standing on the three or four legs of the horse.
Pietro Tacca concluded that the statue would possible but it required the mathematical genius of Galileo to perform the exact calculations to prevent the statue toppling on itself.Pietro Tacca started the sculpture in 1634 and was completed 6 years later in 1640. The artistic and mathematical achievements were lost on Felipe IV, when he first saw the statue of himself he proclaimed to dislike it and that the face was completely wrong. The statue of Felipe IV was decapitated for 6 months while a new head was fashioned to the approval of the King.