Edgar Degas (1834–1917)
Jockey on a Rearing Horse, 1890s
Black chalk and pastel on cream wove paper
9 3/16 x 14 3/16 in. (23.3 x 36 cm)
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1955.1399
Horseracing was a favorite subject of Degas’s. In this later exploration of the theme, Degas gives emphasis to the arrangement of the rearing horse’s head and front legs, seemingly caught in motion. His vigorous execution captures the musculature of the animal and the sheen of its coat.