Orientalism and horses

'Orientalism was ultimately a political vision of reality whose structure promoted the difference between the familiar (Europe, West, "us") and the strange (the Orient, the East, "them").' Edward Said (Orientalism)

The imagined excesses of the east ... Delacroix.

Following Napoleon’s incursions into the east, the orientalist movement in art really took off. 'The East' became a canvas on which could be projected fantasies of savagery, lustfulness and luxury. Horses played a part in this - being luxury items themselves, extremely beautiful (there was no exaggeration here - the eastern horses had a massive impact on the breeds of the West) and offering artists the possibility to flaunt their realist ability to depict detailed and gorgeous saddlery! Okay, I'm over-simplifying ... 

Napoleon's eastern-bred horse, Marengo. A study by Gros.

To over-simplify even more, aside from its complicated historical and political contexts, orientalist art is a rich treasure trove of imaginary horses for us to fill our imaginary stables with! (I'll take one dapple grey, that chestnut and this bay with the white star ...)

A bay horse by Gericault

gericault's Mazeppa

A brief respite from the subject of the bushfires (still waiting to give a big hug to Juno - whether she likes it or not!). 

Here is Gericault's Mazeppa. A man is strapped to the back of a wild horse as a punishment. The horse carries him through the wilderness and back to his 'people' the other wild horses. It is a sublime and terrifying journey, that could be understood as expressing the wild power of desire. 

'The steeds rush on in plunging pride;

But where are they the reins to guide?

A thousand horse and none to ride!

With flowing tail, and flying mane,

Wide nostrils never stretched by pain,

Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein,

And feet that iron never shod,

And flanks unscarred by spur or rod,

A thousand horse, the wild, the free,

Like waves that follow o'er the sea,

Came thickly thundering on ...'

Byron, Mazeppa

blue horse

We are bracing for 43C today (109F, I think), after 42C yesterday. I'm afraid the only reason I've chosen this picture to post is because it looks a little icy.

This picture is one of a series I did after looking at Gericault and Delacroix. Both were especially gifted at portraying horses.