An Arabian Horse, plate 8 from Various Subjects Drawn from Life on Stone 1821

This lithograph of an Arabian horse was made by Théodore Géricault, and it captures the elegance of the Arabian breed. The horse and its handler stand in profile, central to the composition. The horse, a symbol of nobility and power, is here rendered with striking sensitivity. Its posture, a gentle curve of the neck, exudes a quiet strength. This motif of the horse—often associated with virility and untamed nature—echoes across millennia, from the steeds of ancient Greek friezes to the warhorses of Renaissance tapestries. Here, Géricault presents the horse in a moment of serene stillness, a stark contrast to its more common representation as a dynamic, unbridled force. The presence of the Arabian handler adds another layer, a subtle nod to the exotic and the orientalist fascination of 19th-century Europe. This echoes the powerful, often subconscious allure of the East, a dreamscape that has fueled the Western imagination for centuries.