Most Famous Horse Painting?

[RPM]

PBS program on Wentworth Woodhouse says it is this one:

Whistlejacket

(Interesting that the narrator did not bother to name the horse! If he had, I would have recognized the name.)

Just wondering what different people consider the most famous painting of a horse. I might say this one:

http://hglanham.tripod.com/Horses/horses68.html

or this one:
http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Eclipse.html

but I think there are probably many that could be considered the “most” famous.

[Bluey]

Maybe not most famous horse, but a runner up:

[gumtree]

IMO and liking any horse by Alfred Munnings

[SmartAlex]

Whistle Jacket is pretty darn famous. Probably the most often seen work by Stubbs. But, a few that might give it a run for the money (in America anyway):

Pharoah’s Horses by Herring

The Horse Fair by Rosa Bonheur

Another one I see done over and over is Horses Frightened by a storm by Alfred de Dreux. That has been done so many times it’s nearly impossible to find an internet image of the original.

[Bluey]

Napoleon crossing the Alps:

[Halt_Near_X]

I was thinking Whistlejacket before I even opened this post, and I’d put Napoleon second.

I haven’t ever even seen the Washington one or the two SmartAlex posted.

I’d rank the Lascaux cave paintings up near the top.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Halt Near X;8002639]
I was thinking Whistlejacket before I even opened this post, and I’d put Napoleon second.

I haven’t ever even seen the Washington one or the two SmartAlex posted.

I’d rank the Lascaux cave paintings up near the top.[/QUOTE]

I forgot about those, but yes, those are probably first in line.

Here is the link to the horse in the Napoleon painting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marengo_(horse)

[Kwill]

The story on the Pharoah’s Horses is interesting. If you look in the background, you will see water. The horses look afraid. The idea is that the horses are being overwhelmed by the water in the parting of the Red Sea in the biblical story. Thus, pharoah’s horses. Pretty terrible!

[zakattack]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8002564]
Napoleon crossing the Alps:[/QUOTE]

This is the one that came to my mind first as well.

SmartAlex - The Horse Fair is one of my favorite paintings!

[SmartAlex]

The story of Pharoah’s Horses: http://www.hoofprints.com/Pharaohs-Horses-Print-by-JF-Herring/productinfo/P3860/

All these images I’ve mentioned were copied and produced and reproduced over and over in America in the late 1800’s early 1900’s in prints and on items like bridle rosettes or ladies pins. I see them everywhere.
I was lucky to grow up with a Pharoah’s Horses, a Horse Fair, a Thunder and Lightening (copy of de Druex’s print) and Shoeing the Bay Mare by Landseer.

[SmartAlex]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8002792]
I forgot about those, but yes, those are probably first in line.

Here is the link to the horse in the Napoleon painting:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marengo_(horse)[/QUOTE]

That one crossed my mind too. Or this one of George Washington.

[FatCatFarm]

Stubbs’ Horse and Lion paintings are phenomenal too.

My favorite though is La Belle Dame Sans Merci by Frank Dicksee
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/la-belle-dame-sans-merci-188451

[PoohLP]

Yes,Napoleon Crossing the Alps. One of the first pieces of modern propaganda. He actually was a terrible rider and crossed the Alps on a donkey. A white horse rearing was much more heroic though!

[SmartAlex]

Marengo: The Myth of Napoleon’s Horse

[Janet]

I think that the paintings of Napoleon and Washington are primarily pictures of the RIDER rather than the horse.

But I still don’t think the Whistlejacket is the most well known to the general public.

I think that Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches are more well known, but they are sketches, not pantings.

[Pennywell_Bay]

Janet, I was going to say Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches, as well.

[The_Hobbit]

I always think of the following image, but that’s likely because I studied his work in school. :winkgrin:

http://www.wand8.de/shop/image/cache/data/95-900x600.jpg

[charismaryllis]

definitely whistlejacket and the horse fair. :yes:

there’s a great painting out there of washington standing by his horse; horse is biting flies. :lol:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/george-washington-john-trumbull.html

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=Bluey;8002564]
Napoleon crossing the Alps:[/QUOTE]

Yep. Just went looking for that but Bluey beat me to it. If you are into HORSES and horse-specific art, the Stubbs, but EVERYONE in the western world has seen this one. Everyone. Unless they’re five. And Amish. And don’t get out much.

[amastrike]

Whistlejacket. I saw the painting when I was in London and have a stuffed toy Whistlejacket :D.