Del Prado Two Sicilies Honour Guard: A Ceremonial Rider Before Italian Unification

Del Prado · Nineteenth century · Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Tall headgear, red trousers and a dark horse give this mounted honour guard an elegant ceremonial outline. The subject represents the southern Italian monarchy, while its dealer date range needs to be read with care.

A monarchy with a clear end date

The nineteenth-century Kingdom of the Two Sicilies combined the southern Italian mainland and Sicily under Bourbon rule. It existed from 1816 to 1861, ending during Italian unification. That political setting distinguishes this rider from the army of the later unified kingdom.

The dealer lists the figure with a broad 1850–70 range, while the cavalry index calls it a Neapolitan Guard horseman. The range should not be interpreted as proof that the kingdom continued after 1861. This entry retains the supported guard identity and describes the setting more cautiously as nineteenth-century Two Sicilies.

A ceremonial vertical line

The reference photo shows a tall dark headdress, a dark upper uniform with pale decoration and bright red trousers. The rider sits upright on a black horse with a raised foreleg. Red saddle detail links the clothing with the mount, while the high headgear carries the composition upward.

The figure’s strength is the contrast between the horse’s dark body and the rider’s brighter legs and trim. An underexposed listing can lose much of that separation. Ask for even light rather than judging the uniform from a silhouette alone.

Checking a tall mounted figure

Inspect the headgear’s top and edges, the reins and the horse’s ears. Look closely at the raised foreleg and the points where the other feet meet the base. A clear rear view will help show the saddlecloth, tail and any repairs hidden by the rider.

The model fits a display devoted to court and ceremonial cavalry. Place it near another mounted guard with a separate national label so the comparison remains about dress and presentation.

Allow more shelf height than the horse alone suggests. The headdress can catch a cabinet frame while the base is being moved into place. A three-quarter photograph is especially useful here, showing the red trousers, saddle details and horse’s stance together instead of compressing them into one dark profile.

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