The sculpture stands on Dvořák Embankment beside the Danube near the Riverpark complex. The promenade at this section widens into a terrace that overlooks the river, and which is furnished with benches and works of art. In 2018, a modern, smaller, and incomplete replica of the destroyed equestrian sculpture of Maria Theresa from 1897 was installed in this location. The original, made of white Carrara marble, was the work of the renowned sculptor and Bratislava native J. Fadrusz (1858–1903). The sculpture stood on the then Coronation Square (now Štúr Square), and was created as a millennium monument to celebrate the history of the Kingdom of Hungary. Following the founding of the first Czechoslovak Republic, the statue of Maria Theresa was perceived as a symbol of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy, and was demolished in 1921. Some fragments were collected as souvenirs, the heads of the side figures were sent to a museum in Budapest, and other pieces of marble were later used as material for smaller statues, monuments, tombstones, and even paving. The fate of the remainder of the broken sculpture is unclear; some was probably just thrown into the Danube.
Several experts in the field of history and art history have devoted themselves to researching the original sculpture, the complex work of J. Fadrusz, and the search for lost pieces. At the same time, various associations and civic initiatives have put forward ideas to create a replica of the sculpture and install it in its original location, or possibly elsewhere. Initially replacing it on the square was a monument to General Milan Rastislav Štefánik by the sculptor Bohumil Kafka, which, after several modifications, was ultimately removed in 1954. Today, it stands in its restored form on the Danube embankment near the new building of the Slovak National Theatre (SND). In the early 1970s, following a period in which the square was called Roosevelt Square, it was renamed after Ľudovít Štúr, and a monument by Tibor Bártfay and Ivan Salay dedicated to Štúr and his followers was installed in a park at its centre.
Returning the sculpture to its original location proved unfeasible, not only because of complicated historical layers and interpretations, but also for practical reasons. The sculpture’s former site has progressively become an island at a busy intersection, so there is insufficient space in its original location. It would also be problematic to create a faithful copy of Fadrusz's original in terms of shape and material. The clay model of the work was not preserved, and there is no comprehensive pictorial documentation; the artwork is known only from a limited number of period images and illustrations. The sculpture was carved from a block of marble quarried in Carrara in 1893, so another question is whether and at what price it would be possible to obtain similar original marble today. Perhaps this is why most considerations regarding recreation of the sculpture focused on making replicas from alternative materials, possibly on a smaller scale, and on finding an alternative location. The result of these efforts is the sculpture at Riverpark. Based on an initiative by the civic association Bratislava Beautification Association (BOS), the sculptress M. Zimanová first created it as an approximately one-third scale model made of white laminate. In 2011, this model was briefly exhibited in a park on Vajanský Embankment (close to where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands today) with the aim of presenting and promoting an intention to return the sculpture. Later, the sculpture was cast in bronze, and in 2018 the initiators proposed installing it on the green strip at the edge of Hviezdoslav Square in front of the Carlton Hotel. The proposal did not receive broad public support and was not approved by the Old Town Council. Following this unsuccessful attempt, the work was placed on the promenade near the Riverpark development complex. Although presented as a replica, it is in fact a simplified interpretation of part of the original sculpture, and because it is cast in bronze its colour and quality differ from the original. The original sculpture was symbolically oriented towards the Danube and beyond, referencing the historical territories of the monarchy. Currently, on the contrary, the new sculpture is oriented towards Riverpark, with the rear of the horse facing the Danube. Its pedestal is smaller and significantly simplified compared to the original. The work was "placed" directly on the pavement, so viewers are unable to view it from all sides or from a distance.
Within the context of the Bratislava City Art database, the sculpture represents an example of how things should not be done. From a historical perspective, we can conclude that destruction of the original was a mistake from which lessons must be learned. Equally, the process of creating a modern "replica" and searching ad hoc for a site also proved ill-advised and controversial. As with other cases, a broader professional discussion would have been a more appropriate solution, perhaps even a search/verification competition to find a suitable location, followed by a design competition that would provide alternatives for addressing the legacy of Maria Theresa and the sculptor Fadrusz.
Paradoxically, the most authentic depiction of Maria Theresa in Bratislava's public space is currently a restoration replica of a smaller equestrian statue that has been repositioned to the historic garden of the Grassalkovich / Presidential Palace.
ZD
Research status as of 31. 08. 2023.
