1828
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Wild Horse Coming out of the Water (Cheval sauvage) is a 1828 ink by Eugène Delacroix, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a wild horse mid-motion, shaking off water with its mane and tail flying. The horse’s body is turned sideways, but its head faces left, as if startled or alert. Dark lines and loose strokes give the fur texture, while the background is mostly empty, letting the horse stand out. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show movement—like the horse’s legs and tail—rather than smooth details. This style fits a time when artists focused on emotion and nature’s power over perfect realism. Next, look up lithography to see how this print was made.
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( DEL-ə-krwah, -KRWAH; French: ; 26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school.
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