A horse, A horse all my kingdom for a horse

Ancient Cave Drawing

Horses in ART

Since prehistory, horses have been a wild fascination of men and women, on every continent. They have been depicted in every art medium, from cave paintings and petroglyphs to film and sculpture. They have, and continue to evoke, the majesty of primal nature through their exuberance and grace. The history of art mirrors the changing relationship between horses and humans. The Horse has been an important companion for Man throughout the centuries and has been an integral part of man’s development from prehistoric times to today. Artistic portrayals and creations have covered a wide spectrum, including mythological, religious, story-telling, decorative, famous horses and events, warriors and battles, etc.; all of which have been past and present sources of artistic inspiration.

Horse of a Different Color by Jeff, Legg

Degas

Horses throng the history of art. The most ancient paintings that are known in the Chavet Cave in France, feature herds of horses.  Our artistic relationship with the horse has evolved alongside the animal's domestication.  Horses are poised between the energy of their wild inheritance, and the elegance of a tamed creature. The confidence of the riders is an image of civilisation. The taming of horses is one of art's oldest signifiers of beauty, yet their original wildness also feeds visions of raw power. A master of painting and sculpture was also available by the middle of the century – Edgar Degas. Degas began painting horse racing scenes when he was 27 and Classicism can be seen in lines reminiscence of Ingres. Degas was also a master at capturing movement and gesture in whatever medium he employed, be it sculpture, drawing, pastel, or painting. With the invention of photography, painters like Degas, while producing “fine” art of the highest quality, used the invention to their advantage, for study and knowledge. Even Degas’ early pencil studies show a mastery of line in his depiction of the horse that reflects the knowledge given to all through photography. In France the French Jockey Club was formed in 1833 and continued to grow and flourish throughout the century. and the Impressionistic Degas immortalized the racing scene with his painterly technique and fine discernment of horse movements.