This statue took a long time to complete. The original idea was that of Carlo Emanuele I to dedicate an equestrian monument to the memory of his father, Emanuele Filiberto, and to involve Giambologna.
In 1619 Andrea Rivalta carved the horse in marble based on a project sent by a pupil of the famous sculptor Pietro Tacca. The figure of the sovereign was realised in bronze by Federico Vanello. The different parts of the monument were joined and completed only in 1663, when the features of Emanuel Filiberto were substituted by those of Vittorio Amadeo I.