Artwork
The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses
The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses is an oil painting by the Academic Art artist Horace Vernet. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a dynamic race featuring riderless horses, accompanied by a man and a spectator, set within an academic neoclassical framework.
The painting portrays a dynamic race featuring riderless horses, accompanied by a man and a spectator, set within an academic neoclassical framework. The composition emphasizes the movement and energy of the horses while the presence of a man and a spectator adds narrative tension. Executed in oil on canvas in 1820, the work reflects the 19th‑century academic interest in classical and sporting subjects, aligning with the neoclassical style favored by institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its creation for Catharine Lorillard Wolfe underscores its significance within contemporary art collecting practices.
Technique & Style
Horace Vernet's 1820 painting, The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses, is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. Measuring 46 by 54 units, the work is classified within the academic art movement, reflecting the stylistic currents of Neoclassicism and Romanticism prevalent at the time. The composition depicts a dynamic scene featuring horses, men, and spectators, capturing the immediacy of the race's commencement.
The surface condition and handling of the medium are consistent with early 19th-century oil painting practices, utilizing the fluidity of the paint to render movement and texture. Currently held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, the piece is displayed in Gallery 801, where its formal qualities demonstrate Vernet's engagement with historical and contemporary subjects through a refined academic lens.
History & Provenance
Horace Vernet completed The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses in 1820, executing the composition in oil on canvas. The work measures 46 cm by 54 cm and exemplifies academic art within the Neoclassicism‑Romanticism period. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, who later bequeathed it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view in Gallery 801.
Its provenance thus traces from the artist’s studio to Wolfe’s ownership and finally to the museum’s permanent holdings.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it resides in Gallery 801, dedicated to Neoclassicism and Romanticism at the Fifth Avenue location. The work was acquired by the museum through the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe collection. While the provided sources confirm its current institutional home and gallery placement, they do not specify a unique inventory or accession number, nor do they detail a chronological record of past exhibitions beyond its permanent display context.
Legacy
Horace Vernet’s 1820 oil painting The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses is a representative work of academic art, noted for its precise composition and neoclassical treatment of equine movement. The painting entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the bequest of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe and has been exhibited in the museum’s Neoclassicism and Romanticism galleries (Gallery 801), affirming its early recognition as an important piece of the collection. Its inclusion in the Met’s permanent display underscores its lasting significance within the study of 19th‑century academic painting.
Overview
Émile Jean-Horace Vernet, a French painter recognized for his historical and Orientalist subjects, created The Start of the Race of the Riderless Horses in 1820. Executed in oil paint, this work captures a moment of intense action and drama. It is a notable example of French Romanticism, depicting a chaotic scene centered on a powerful, untamed horse and its struggle with a human figure. The painting is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Émile Jean-Horace Vernet (French pronunciation:; 30 June 1789 – 17 January 1863), better known as Horace Vernet, was a French painter of battles, portraits, and Orientalist subjects.
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