For Théodore Géricault, few forms in nature rivalled that of the horse. The French artist kept revisiting the subject – not only in more conventional military scenes, but also in pared-back paintings that focused on the animal itself: its expression, powerful body and glistening coat. In a presentation of drawings and paintings, this exhibition at the Musée de la Vie Romantique demonstrates the artist’s ongoing equine interests and is divided into five distinct sections – ‘The Political Horse’; ‘The Stable Sanctuary’; ‘Rome: The Race of Free Horses’; ‘London: Dandies and Proletariats’; and ‘The Death of the Horse’ (15 May–15 September).
Find out more from the Musée de la Vie Romantique’s website.
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Study after S.M the King of Westphalia (Jérôme Bonaparte) after Antoine-Jean Gros (1812–14), Théodore Géricault. Musée national Eugène Delacroix, Paris. Photo: Adrien Didierjean; © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée du Louvre)
Brown Horse in the Stable (c. 1810), Théodore Géricault. Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, Paris
Preparatory study for the Epsom Derby (1821), Théodore Géricault. Courtesy Kristin Gary Fine Arts