Horses

Horses for portraits

Horse portraits are highly specialised forms of art and were first given centre stage by George Stubbs around 1760. His famous painting ‘Whistlejacket’ is of a horse rearing up on its hind legs. There is a distinct lack of background in the painting so the horse is the only focal point within the composition. This format has become a standard in portraiture and especially in horse portraits. Although some horse owners do like to see their animals in a more natural setting.

There are many different breeds of horses and many are bred for a specific purpose such as race horses. These are bred for their speed and agility, whereas shire horses were bred for their strength. The advent of farm machinery has seen the decline of shire horses, but they are still commissioned as paintings because of their nostalgic quality.

Race horses on the other hand are part of a large industry and command big sums of money. They are very popular subjects for portraiture and are commissioned by all sorts of people. Primarily the horse owners who are proud of their steeds, commission portraits to document and celebrate the achievements of their animals. Trainers, jockeys and breeders who work with these magnificent animals, do also commission portraits.

Horse portraits are best produced in oils however, many other mediums are suitable. For those with modest budgets; drawings are an affordable choice. Oil paints are easy to blend and so lend themselves to horse painting. The natural sheen on the animals coat is best represented by this type of medium. Horses with their elegance and anatomical grace make good subjects for sculptures. Often the whole horse is sculpted rather than just the head, as in many painted horse portraits. Bronze is the favoured choice for sculptures but wood carvings are increasing in their popularity.