The story of Ferrari’s prancing horse goes back 100 years.
Ferrari’s Prancing Horse is a symbol of pure automotive excellence, a badge of honor on the world’s most luxurious, desirable, and exclusive cars. The emblem has an evocative history, rooted in a century-old tale that brings together a WWI air pilot, a heartbroken Contessa, and an artisan engraver. It all started at the 1923 Circuito del Savio GP in northern Italy, where a young racing driver was presented with a trophy by Contessa Paolina Biancoli. She urged the victorious racer to adopt the rearing black stallion symbol that had adorned her late son, Italian war hero Francesco Baracca’s biplane. The Contessa believed the emblem would bring the driver good luck in his racing endeavors.
Fast forward to 1947, and the inaugural car of Ferrari, the 125 S, bore the distinct symbol of the prancing horse, thanks to the founder Enzo Ferrari. The iconic logo was a collaborative masterpiece with one of Italy’s most renowned engravers, Eligio Gerosa. While the two had earlier crossed paths during Enzo’s days with Alfa Romeo, their admiration for Baracca was the real connecting thread. Gerosa’s firm had already been supplying enamel badges featuring a twisted snake to Alfa Romeo, and the two men shared a similar aesthetic vision. The engraver was even a founder of the Baracca Association, devoted to keeping the pilot’s memory alive.
In the late 1940s, Gerosa’s company was absorbed by O.M.E.A., a Milanese outfit specializing in mechanical and artistic works. Yet the partnership between Ferrari and Gerosa continued, refining and redefining the prancing horse logo. A sketch from Gerosa’s hand, with its Da Vinciesque detailing, marked a pivotal moment in the logo’s history when Enzo scribbled ‘Invertire il cavallo’ (turn the horse around), ensuring that the horse would face left, as it does to this day.
Enzo was more than just an observer in this process. His hands-on involvement is evidenced by his explicit instructions for the design elements, down to the distinctive yellow background that associated the badge with the civic colors of nearby Modena. Early drafts included curved lines in the Italian national colors, but Enzo wanted straight lines. “They remind me of Bugatti grilles,” he told Gerosa. Every nuance mattered, even the horse’s hooves, which he wanted to appear as if they were flying, further emphasizing the brand’s commitment to speed and performance.
As it stands today, the prancing horse has not only seen the roads but has also witnessed history, legacies, and the advent of modern automotive artistry. As Emilio Candiani, whose family business collaborated with Gerosa and Ferrari, notes, it’s an “all-Italian story” born out of professional respect and sentimental value. From war heroes to racetracks, and from artisan workshops to the global stage, the Prancing Horse stands as an epitome of Italian excellence, honoring not just the genius of Enzo Ferrari, but a lineage of Italian brilliance. It’s more than just a logo; it’s a narrative, steeped in culture, craftsmanship, and an unparalleled dedication to perfection.
Image Source: Ferrari
