Study of a white horse 

Horace Vernet painted this study of a white horse sometime in the early to mid-19th century. During this era, horses were potent symbols of power, often associated with military might and aristocratic privilege. Vernet himself came from a family of artists, and gained fame for his depictions of French military campaigns. But this painting is not of a specific battle or a heroic charge. It's a study. A close look reveals a subdued, almost melancholic quality to the animal’s eye, a stark contrast to the dynamic energy typically associated with equestrian art. The horse stands against a dark, undefined background, its whiteness rendered with subtle gradations of light and shadow. This whiteness could be viewed as a symbol of purity, but also of the ways power is whitewashed. Vernet seems less interested in glorifying conquest than in capturing the complex relationship between humans and animals. The horse appears vulnerable, caught in a moment of quiet contemplation. Perhaps Vernet invites us to consider the emotional lives of these animals, who were so often instrumentalized in human conflicts.