Artwork
A Game of Horse and Rider
A Game of Horse and Rider is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jean Honoré Fragonard. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s oil on canvas, dated around 1778, captures a lively outdoor gathering.
About this work
Technique & Style
The scene unfolds with a rider mounted on a rearing horse, set against a loosely defined landscape that recedes through delicate atmospheric effects.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 115 cm in height and 87.5 cm in width. The composition features a dynamic equestrian scene rendered with Fragonard's characteristic fluid brushwork and lively handling, emphasizing movement and theatricality.
The scene unfolds with a rider mounted on a rearing horse, set against a loosely defined landscape that recedes through delicate atmospheric effects. The palette relies on warm, earthy tones punctuated by touches of brighter color, particularly in the rider's costume, while the handling balances precision in the figures with looser, sketch-like passages in the background.
History & Provenance
Jean-Honoré Fragonard created A Game of Horse and Rider in 1778 as an oil on canvas painting. The work's early ownership is uncertain, potentially beginning with William Williams Hope of Rushton Hall and Paris before passing by gift to Madame Jenny Colon in Paris. By 1864, the painting entered the collection of Emile and Isaac Péreire in Paris, remaining there until their residence sale in March 1872.
It subsequently belonged to Frédéric-Alexis-Louis Pillet, comte Pillet, who held the piece at least until 1910. The art dealer Wildenstein & Co. acquired the work by 1932 and later facilitated its purchase by Calouste Gulbenkian. In 1942, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation bought the painting from Wildenstein, eventually gifting it to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1946.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it has been part of the Samuel H. Kress Collection since its acquisition in 1946. Its inventory number is 1946.10.15. The work was previously owned by Calouste Gulbenkian and Wildenstein & Co., and was lent to exhibitions in Berlin in 1910 and London in 1932 before entering the Kress collection.
Legacy
The painting's visibility in major European exhibitions and its passage through prominent dealers such as Wildenstein & Co. helped cement its reputation in the early twentieth century. Its inclusion in the 1910 Berlin exhibition and the 1932 London show brought the work to broader public attention, while its acquisition by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in 1942 and subsequent donation to the National Gallery of Art ensured its continued scholarly discussion and public display.
Overview
Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s oil on canvas, dated around 1778, captures a lively outdoor gathering. Set beside a lake within a wooded landscape, the composition centers on a group engaged in a light‑hearted game, with two women seated on the left and children frolicking nearby. The work exemplifies the artist’s interest in spontaneous, everyday moments.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents a genre tableau of leisure, emphasizing the convivial atmosphere of a countryside pastime. By placing the figures in a natural setting, Fragonard underscores the harmony between human activity and the surrounding environment, inviting viewers to appreciate the simple pleasures of communal play.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on 5 April 1732 in Grasse, the son of a glover, and moved with his family to Paris in 1738.
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