The Baroque figures

Victorious Austria

The victorious end to decades of war against the Ottoman Empire is echoed in the Baroque figures in the Winter Riding School, erected under Emperor Charles VI in 1725. As you can see in the above image, the personification of victorious Austria, a young woman with a golden laurel branch, is seated on a globe as ruler of the world.

Left and right of the globe we find flowers, fruit and grapes, the usual offerings to a goddess. The Hapsburg eagle lies at Austria’s feet, holding a palm branch, symbol of victory, triumph and joy in its talons.

The trophy groups to the left and right of the central figure are also of interest; next to Turkish standards and flags, turbans and generals’ batons with the crescent moon we also find cuirassier helmets worn by the French, the Turks’ allies against the Hapsburg monarchy in the 17th century.