# Explain this sculpture to me - Wenceslas with upside down horse **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734 "2018-03-17T16:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/1 "2018-03-17T16:31:59Z")
In trying to help out with [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=851221), I came across this terribly confusing sculpture of “Good King Wenceslas” riding the belly of a horse which is suspended by its hooves. I suppose it’s meant to be cartoonish, but the poor horse! Can anyone explain to me the significance of the good king riding his horse upside down? Is there some legend or story connected with it? Scroll down a bit, you’ll know it when you see it: > **[Wenceslas Square in Prague, Saints and Statues](https://noparticularplacetogo.net/2017/05/14/wenceslas-square-in-prague-saints-and-statues/)** > > The city of Prague in the Czech Republic shot to the top of our travel list when friends casually mentioned that an old coworker of theirs had offered them his family’s apartment in the city and sa… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/2 "2018-03-17T16:35:25Z")
If it’s from 1999, I would assume it represents the end of the Communist regime. You’ve heard the expression “flogging a dead horse”? That’s what people like Gorbachev were doing when they tried to save the rotten Communist system. The king being astride it symbolizes his overcoming it. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/3 "2018-03-17T16:44:09Z")
Not coincidentally, the leader of the Velvet Revolution and the first president of the Czech Republic was Václav (Wenceslas) Havel. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/4 "2018-03-17T16:51:55Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The king being astride it symbolizes his overcoming it. IMHO. Or triumphing over it. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/5 "2018-03-17T23:30:29Z")
The artist is [David Czerny](https://www.boredpanda.com/bizzare-sculptures-by-david-cerny/), who is known for surreal and bizarre installations. ---
**Author:** ![pdhenry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pdhenry/32/5561_2.png) [@pdhenry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdhenry)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/6 "2018-03-18T01:46:03Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The artist is [David Czerny](https://www.boredpanda.com/bizzare-sculptures-by-david-cerny/), who is known for surreal and bizarre installations. And he’s not offering any explanation here (according to [Atlas Obscura](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/statue-of-king-wenceslas-riding-an-upsidedown-dead-horse)). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/7 "2018-03-18T10:27:01Z")
Fascinating and a little medieval torture-y, somehow. Like there’s some hidden Saint’s story about being tortured for faith involving a horse used that way. Squick-ish. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-sculpture-to-me-wenceslas-with-upside-down-horse/810734/8 "2018-03-19T00:24:14Z")
He got Wenceslas mixed up with Catherine the Great? (No, no, no need. I’ll show myself out.)