12 most famous horse paintings

Why are horse paintings so popular among art lovers and often chosen by those who want to decorate their interior with a painting? The answer is evident: a horse symbolizes freedom of spirit, power, nobility, grace and faithfulness – the qualities one prefers to enjoy. This article presents 12 masterpieces glorifying a wonderful creature accompanying humans for centuries, with a breathtaking combination of an outstanding artistic talent and mesmerizing beauty of a horse and its rider at the end of the review.

1. Whistlejacket (1762) by George Stubbs

 

A famous self-taught English artist George Stubbs created the most magnificent images of horses. These are them which embody all the qualities mentioned above. George Stubbs was lucky that his passion for racehorses attracted the attention of members of the British Jockey Club, who often commissioned paintings of horses and paid generously for them.

Stubbs' most famous painting depicts a prancing stallion nicknamed Whistlejacket. The painting was commissioned by the Marquis of Rockingham, the owner of the animal. In terms of composition, it is noteworthy that the large-scale painting is completely devoted to the image of a marvelous stallion.

Paintings ordered by some aristocrats are acquired by others two and a half centuries later, setting auction records.

2. Blue Horse I (1911) by Franz Marc

Franz Marc is a very peculiar German expressionist artist, the author of many unusual works including a series of paintings dedicated to blue horses that sometimes amazed his contemporaries. The horse depicted on this canvas is somewhat like a strong vigorous man in his prime. The work was performed in the original manner of the artist: broken lines, color conveys a special meaning, which makes the image somewhat weird. It touches the viewer with an elusive charm and sincerity. The blue color in the works of Franz Mark symbolizes strength and courage, but at the same time spirituality; yellow - femininity, softness, sensuality; red represents assertiveness and determination.

3. Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1801) by Jacques-Louis David

In May 1800, during a military campaign in Northern Italy, Napoleon became the organizer of one of the most successful mountain campaigns in history. The Alpine campaign of Napoleon made a great impression and was reflected in the works of European artists. The painting Napoleon Crossing the Alps was created by Jacques-Louis David a year after the events.

There are as many as five originals of this artwork, and all of them have survived to this day. The author wrote the first version by order of the Spanish king Charles IV and earned 24,000 livres for it. The picture was also liked by Napoleon himself, who ordered an option for himself. Jacques-Louis David made the third version for free for the Les Invalides in Paris. The master created the next version of the painting for the government of the Cisalpine Republic. In 1805, the fifth and last copy appeared from under his brush. This time David painted for himself. The painting, which brought him considerable profit, would hang near the artist's bed until his death.

4. The Boy Leading a Horse (1905-1906) by Pablo Picasso

 “The Boy Leading a Horse” is one of the most famous paintings by Pablo Picasso, painted by the artist in the winter of 1905 - 1906 during the "rose period" in his work. Picasso planned to create a grandiose composition on a very large scale, in which the boy from this picture was to lead the horse by the bridle, along with several other riders to water and bathe. The picture is not finished, as evidenced by the fact that the boy does not even have a bridle in his hand, although the position of his right hand clearly indicates that he is leading a horse. Nevertheless, Picasso decided to leave it in this condition. The main attention is given to the image of a noble animal: beautiful, proud and strong.

5. The Horsewoman (1832) by Karl Bryullov

The Horsewoman is one of the most impressive paintings by Karl Bryullov. It was painted in 1832 in Milan by order of Countess Yulia Samoilova, who patronized the young artist and was his muse. Bryullov captured on canvas the relatives of the Italian composer G. Pacini - Giovannina, sitting on horseback, and Amazilia, admiringly looking at her. The charming appearance and dexterity of the graceful rider causes sincere admiration. The image of a skittish black thoroughbred horse contrasts with her light outfit, as well as with her calmness and self-confidence.

6. The White Horse "Gazelle" (1881) by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

The image of the horse is also present in the works of post-impressionists. Henri Toulouse-Lautrec created several paintings of horses. One of them is a kind of portrait of a white horse. The animal looks a little tired. In the look, one can feel the wisdom of life, but the natural beauty and grace are not subject to adversity.

7. The White Horse (1898) by Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin spent the last years of his life on the Polynesian Islands. It was here that he created his most famous paintings. Gauguin was not afraid of experimenting with color: a stream with orange tints, a horse with a greenish tint from the shadow of leaves.

One day, the owner of local pharmacies wished to support the artist and asked to sell him a painting with a simple plot. Gauguin brought The White Horse because he considered it simple and understandable. However, the customer did not accept the painting because the horse was too green. He wanted the horse's color to look more natural. However, the painting is currently worth several million dollars.

8. Night-Shining White (c.770 AD) by Han Gan

Han Gang owes his fame to his paintings of horses, his success contributing to the birth of the "horse painting" genre along with traditional portrait painting. The artist embodies the images of horses with naturalism, striking for such an ancient era. There were forty thousand horses in the Tang Emperor's stables. Artists Chen Hong and Han Gan were invited to portray the emperor's favorite mounts. A large number of these stallions were brought to the capital from distant countries as a sign of submission or alliance, or as a tribute. The paintings commemorated the respect given by foreign nations to the prestige of the Chinese court, and they themselves acquired historical significance.

9. Bathing the Red Horse (1912) by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin is a Russian artist combining the traditions of writing ancient Russian icons (red color of a horse and a flat image) and innovative trends - fauvism, cubism and post-impressionism. One of the most famous paintings by Petrov-Vodkin - "Bathing a Red Horse", is now familiar to every art lover, has become a symbol of the Soviet era, although it was painted five years before the October Revolution. At first, Petrov-Vodkin painted the picture as an ordinary everyday scene, but created a truly monumental canvas. The red horse is so big that its unusual red color dominates everything, and such a red giant is controlled by a calm young man who lightly holds the horse by the bridle with one hand.

Two years later, the First World War broke out, and in 1917 the monarchy in Russia was overthrown - events that flooded a vast territory with red blood. It is still not completely known how the artist came up with the idea of “Bathing the Red Horse”

10.  Horses at the Porch (1843) by Albrecht Adam

The manner of depicting the horses in this painting is similar to the one of George Stubbs and Karl Briullov. The painting "Horses at the Porch" is considered one of the best artworks of Albrecht Adam and refers to the period of his stay in Stuttgart, where he painted Arabian horses commissioned by royal houses and courtiers. In this work, the artist painted two horses of pure Arabian breed at the porch of a hunting lodge. In those days, race hunting for hares and foxes was popular, and in the work of art we see thoroughbred Arabian horses, and next to them are three tired hunting dogs and prey.

Do you share our love for paintings of horses? In TrendGallery, you can order a painting in this style, which inspires our artists, and make your space unique by choosing the color scheme that perfectly matches your interior