Artwork
Empress Eugenie on Horseback
Empress Eugenie on Horseback is an oil painting by the Realist artist Carl Fredrik Kiörboe. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on her presence while riding, aligning with the genre conventions of depicting royalty in motion.
The work is an equestrian portrait depicting Eugénie de Montijo, the Empress of the French, mounted on a horse. Created in 1864 by Carl Fredrik Kiörboe, the painting presents the Empress as the central figure engaged in the act of equestrianism. As a formal portrait, the composition focuses on her presence while riding, aligning with the genre conventions of depicting royalty in motion. The subject matter emphasizes her status and role through the visual language of the equestrian portrait.
Technique & Style
Created in 1864, Empress Eugenie on Horseback is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The work is classified as an equestrian portrait, depicting Eugénie de Montijo mounted on a horse. The artist, Carl Fredrik Kiörboe, utilized oil paint to render the formal subject matter. The physical dimensions of the canvas are 107.4 cm in height and 85.5 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Carl Fredrik Kiörboe created the oil painting Empress Eugenie on Horseback in 1864. The work depicts Eugénie de Montijo mounted on a horse, classifying it as an equestrian portrait executed on canvas. The piece entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is currently held.
No specific details regarding the original commission or intermediate ownership transfers prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records.
Overview
In 1864, Danish‑born Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Kiörboe created an oil painting that presents Empress Eugénie of France astride a horse. Executed within the realist tradition, the work captures the empress as an active rider, accompanied by a dog that darts alongside the animal.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Carl Fredrik Kiörboe (1 June 1799, Christiansfeld – 2 January 1876, Dijon) was a Danish-born Swedish artist who specialized in paintings with animals; primarily dogs and horses. He was apparently self-taught.
