March – August 1, 2010
Théodore Géricault (French, 1791-1824). Shoeing a Horse, ca. 1820-1824. Lithograph, sheet: 15 x 20 3/4 in. (38.1 x 52.71 cm); image: 11 x 14 1/4 in. (27.94 x 36.19 cm). Gift of Charles Tilghman, 2009.015
Théodore Géricault: Prints from the Tilghman Collection featured nine prints donated to the Museum by Charles Tilghman. As a young artist, Théodore Géricault (1791-1824) was particularly interested in horses and races. Géricault gave considerable attention to equine subjects, as indicated in the varied treatment of the subject in these nine lithographs, including images of blacksmiths shoeing horses, horses in a stable with an attendant, and a courier on horseback receiving a drink from a tavern attendant. Around 1808, Géricault studied with Carle Vernet, a sought after painter of sporting subjects. Later, he studied with the Davidian history painter Pierre Guérin and was taught a more rigorous form of classical painting. One of Géricault’s first important Salon paintings was the Charging Chasseur (Salon of 1812), a large and impressive equestrian portrait associated with the closing years of the Napoleonic wars. In 1820, after the completion of his controversial Raft of the Medusa, he traveled in England, where he sketched horse races and jockeys. In England, Géricault was inspired by the landscapes of Constable and the animal subjects of David Wilkie, James Ward, and others. Following his trip to England, Géricault returned to Paris and continued to develop his watercolor and lithographic technique. He made use of the sketches from England for lithographs of horsemen, diligence drivers, and waggoners of various kinds. His naturalistic treatment of horses influenced artists such as Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. The drama of physical striving of both horses and their riders held a special interest for Géricault. In true Romantic fashion, his early death was caused by a series of reckless riding accidents.