Description
Théodore Géricault turned away from traditional subjects such as mythology and the Bible in favor of modernity, emotion, and drama. He was fascinated by the power and physical beauty of horses and depicted them often. Géricault himself was an avid rider and his paintings and drawings on this theme are characterized by vigor and movement. In this watercolor, he focused on a conflict, in which a groom struggles to separate a pair of fighting horses—a scene that appeared only a few times throughout his many interpretations of similar subjects. A sketchbook, now in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, shows that the artist carefully studied the animals, including the kicking white stallion at center, in graphite before beginning this finished work.
Provenance
Possibly Anatole Demidoff [1812-1870], Paris (?-1863); (Hotel Drouot, Paris, Tableaux des premiers maitres..., January 13-16, 1863, no. 58, probably sold to Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford) (1863); Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford [1800-1870], by descent to his son Sir Richard Wallace (probably 1863-1870); Sir Richard Wallace [1818-1890], Paris, by descent to his wife Julie-Amélie-Charlotte Castelnau, Lady Wallace (1870-1890); Julie-Amélie-Charlotte Castelnau, Lady Wallace [1819-1897], London, by descent to her advisor Sir John Murray Scott (1890-1897); Sir John Murray Scott [1847-1912], London (1897-1912); (Phillips, Son & Neale, Contents of the Residence...of Sir John E.A. Murray Scott, February 9, 1914, no. 446) (1914); (Ernest Leggatt [1853-1922; Lugt 1664e], London, sold to Guy Bellingham Smith) (after 1914-?); Guy Bellingham Smith, London (after 1914-1927); (Frederik Muller & Cie, Amsterdam, Dessins anciens...Collection Bellingham-Smith, July 5-6, 1927, no. 38, probably sold to Gustav Nebehay) (1927); (Gustav Nebehay [1881-1935], Vienna, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (1927); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1929-)
Accession Number
1929.13
Medium
watercolor over graphite
Dimensions
Sheet: 21.7 x 29.4 cm (8 9/16 x 11 9/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Credit Line
Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund