The beauty of horses in paintings

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Andy Renmei

In paintings, the best friend of man may not be dogs, but horses. There are so many depictions of wars, farms, and even urban life where we can find these beautiful and carismatic animals naturally coexisting with people.

Feeding the Arab, by John Frederick Herring

We can see how healthy these horses are just by looking at their pelage.

The Temptation of Saint Anthony, by Salvador Dalí

Saint Anthony’s temptation is carried by long-legged elephants. The horse here seems to be the leader of the group. The most furious, dominant and scary character in this painting.

Ecstasy, by Wladyslaw Podkowinski

Even with half of the canvas drowned into shadow, the face of ecstasy is very clear to us. The human character here is the fragile one. The title of this painting refers to the horse’s desperate facial expression.

Marengo, by James Ward

The brush strokes on the background strengthen the sense of movement. The horse’s face is intense and focused.

Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass, by Jacques-Louis David

At least for me it’s pretty clear who is the real protagonist of this painting.

A White Stallion In A Landscape, by Eugene Joseph Verboeckhoven

This stallion seems almost human, the feeling of solitude and sadness transpass the canvas and hit us directly.