The idea behind the digital reconstruction of Amazone zu Pferde was initially as intimate and personal as the previous project: to create an artistic gift for a friend and partner. The female figure—embodying strength, beauty, and motion, yet free from vulgarity—seemed an especially fitting choice. However, as the work progressed and the material was studied more deeply, the project quickly transcended its original intent and evolved into an independent investigation—simultaneously artistic, historical, and technological in nature.

A wide range of sources was employed for the detailed study of the sculpture: archival and contemporary photographs, historical descriptions, and modern photogrammetry. The latter made it possible to accurately capture the overall geometry, proportions, and dynamic structure of the composition. At the same time, photogrammetry has clear limitations: it does not naturally produce truly smooth surfaces, and fine details are often lost, replaced by texture artifacts and noise.

For this reason, manual digital sculpting became the decisive stage of the process. Based on the photogrammetric model, the work was, in effect, recreated from scratch—with the restoration of every minute element: anatomy, skin folds, the tension of the horse’s muscles, and the interaction of bodies in extreme motion. Taken together, the 3D model and the sculptural overlays made it possible to quite literally “read” August Kiss’s work, to understand the logic of his forms and the artistic compromises inherent to the era of classicism.

At the same time, the task was never to produce a literal copy of the original. On the contrary, the project was conceived from the outset as a thoughtful interpretation. The first changes concerned the face of the heroic Amazon. Judging by her distinctive headgear, the image refers to early tribes inhabiting the territory of Thrace (modern-day Bulgaria). During the Bronze Age, lions did indeed inhabit this region, and lion hunting is a historically plausible motif.

Yet in the original sculpture, the Amazon’s facial expression is strikingly calm. This stoic demeanor likely reflects a classical, almost “Nordic” ideal of composure and inner superiority. However, such an expression stands in sharp contradiction to the scene itself. The Amazon is on the verge of striking the lioness, already clamped onto the neck of her horse. The animal presses its ears back in terror and veers sharply aside—another moment, and it will rear up, throwing its rider. She has neither saddle nor stirrups, nor even reins to hold on to. The warrior’s naked body, unprotected by armor, only intensifies the sense of extreme danger.

For this reason, the digital version reinterprets the heroine’s face: it becomes harsher, more resolute, and more emotionally charged, clearly conveying to the viewer the critical nature of the moment and the cost of a possible mistake. This change does not contradict the original work; rather, it offers an alternative, more psychologically intense reading of the scene.

The second key aspect of interpretation concerns the cloth loincloth, dramatically flowing behind the Amazon along the horse’s croup. This element is an unmistakable tribute to classicism, beautifully conveying movement and dynamism. From the standpoint of physical reality, however, such a scenario is highly improbable: at the first sharp movement, the rider would simply slip off the animal’s smooth back. It is no coincidence that even modern riders, using saddles, wear special rubberized garments to prevent slipping and falling.

Based on this consideration, in addition to a reconstruction close to the original (with changes limited to the face), an alternative version of the sculpture was created. In this version, the Amazon remains nude, but without the cloth garment; instead of sitting on the bare back of the horse, she rides on a lion’s skin serving as a saddle. This motif directly refers to her “brother,” Löwenkämpfer, who likewise employs a trophy pelt as a compositional element and a symbol of victory.