Profile of Works
Circassian Holding a Horse by Its Bridle
- c. 1858
- Oil on canvas
- 32.4 x 40.6 cm
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High-resolution image is available from PHOTO AGENCY.
The oriental-themed paintings by Delacroix are well-known for unrivaled ingenious achievements. Since the Egyptian campaign of Napoleon, Orientalism had spread throughout Europe and been prevalent in the early 19th century together with the subjects of Romantic paintings.
Circassians are an ethic group that reside in the region along the coasts of the Black Sea in Ciscaucasia, where is located at the foot of the Caucasus mountains on the border of Europe and Asia. In the medieval period, many of the Circassians were sent as slaves to Islamic countries. It is well-known that they were used as Mamluks (slave soldiers) and established the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt.
Despite the small picture, the free and flowing brush strokes, pink and blue tones of the sky, and brilliant, jewel-like colors that are seen on this work fully represent the characteristics in style of the artist which were often seen in his late works. Previously known as Mamluk Cavalry, this painting was considered, without any clear evidences, to have been created between 1828 and 1835. The fact, however, is that Mamluks generally wear a Muslim’s turban: In fact, such an appearance of Mamluk is depicted in the earlier works by Delacroix, Géricault, Gros, Carle Vernet and other painters. In addition, the features of the Circassians are certainly reflected on the figures in this painting, but due to some imaginary elements seemingly added onto the figures’ clothes, there is a concern remaining over identifying the figures as the Circassians with conviction. As such, an assumption can be established that it may be an original view that Delacroix created, summoning up his memories on views and scenes that were retained from his journey to North Africa in the first half of 1832. It is partly because in his later years, Delacroix was keen on adding his own unique artistic creation, as shown on this painting, when painting oriental clothes.
There is a drawing, dated April 9, 1858, of the same composition as this painting. It is regarded as a preparatory drawing for this oil painting, providing a compelling evidence that this work was created around 1858.
The images of the TFAM’s collection on our website are available for free.
High-resolution image is available from PHOTO AGENCY.
ARTIST
Eugène Delacroix
(1798-1863)
Exhibit history
- Mar 19, 2022 (Sat)～May 8, 2022 (Sun)
Masterpieces of European Paintings From Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection Saga Prefectural Art Museum (Saga, Japan) - Oct 23, 2021 (Sat)～Dec 26, 2021 (Sun)
The 400 Years of Western Painting: Masterpieces From Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts (Tochigi, Japan) - Jul 9, 2021 (Fri)～Aug 29, 2021 (Sun)
400 Years of European Paintings: Masterpieces From Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art (Okayama, Japan) - Dec 15, 2020 (Tue)～Jan 31, 2021 (Sun)
How to Read Western Paintings: Masterpieces from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum (Okinawa, Japan) - Sep 12, 2020 (Sat)～Nov 3, 2020 (Tue)
400 Years of Western Paintings: Masterpieces from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Miyazaki Prefectural Art Museum (Miyazaki, Japan) - Jul 22, 2020 (Wed)～Sep 6, 2020 (Sun)
400 Years of Western Paintings: Masterpieces from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Oita Prefectural Art Museum (Oita, Japan) - Feb 20, 2020 (Thu)～Apr 12, 2020 (Sun)
How to Read Western Paintings: Masterpieces from Tokyo Fuji Art Museum The Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki (Ibaraki, Japan) - Sep 3, 2019 (Tue)～Oct 22, 2019 (Tue)
Masterpieces of European Paintings From Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection Yamaguchi Prefectural Art Museum (Yamaguchi, Japan) - Jan 12, 2019 (Sat)～May 4, 2019 (Sat)
500 Years of Western Paintings: Collection of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Shanghai PowerLong Museum (Shanghai, China) - Oct 23, 2018 (Tue)～Dec 23, 2018 (Sun)
500 Years of Western Paintings: Collection of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Tsinghua University Art Museum (Beijing, China) - Nov 14, 2015 (Sat)～Jan 31, 2016 (Sun)
Travels and Art: Discovery, Wonder and Dreams The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama (Saitama, Japan) - Apr 22, 2005 (Fri)～May 29, 2005 (Sun)
Impressionists and Great Masters of Western Paintings Yatsushiro Municipal Museum (Kumamoto, Japan) - Aug 1, 2003 (Fri)～Aug 31, 2003 (Sun)
A Great Masters of Impressionist and Modern Arts Iwate Prefectural Hall (Iwate, Japan) - Jan 2, 2003 (Thu)～Jan 26, 2003 (Sun)
Great Masters of Modern Japanese Oil Paintings Saga Prefectural Art Museum (Saga, Japan) - Nov 8, 2002 (Fri)～Nov 24, 2002 (Sun)
Great Masters of Modern Paintings Nagasaki Prefectural Museum (Nagasaki, Japan) - Oct 5, 2002 (Sat)～Nov 4, 2002 (Mon)
Art of the West & Art of Japan Exhibition: Monet, Renoir, Cezanne... Ikeno Taiga, Tani Buncho, and Others Shimane Art Museum (Shimane, Japan) - Sep 7, 2002 (Sat)～Sep 29, 2002 (Sun)
Four Centuries of Occidental Paintings from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection SOGO Museum of Art (Kanagawa, Japan) - Jul 20, 2002 (Sat)～Sep 1, 2002 (Sun)
The Great Masters of Art Hida Takayama Museum of Art (Gifu, Japan) - May 16, 2002 (Thu)～Jun 23, 2002 (Sun)
Four Centuries of Occidental Paintings from the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Collection Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art (Kumamoto, Japan) - Oct 1, 2000 (Sun)～Dec 3, 2000 (Sun)
Masterpieces of Western Paintings from the Renaissance to the 20th Century National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Taipei, Taiwan) - Jun 14, 1997 (Sat)～Jul 7, 1997 (Mon)
400 Years of Art in the East and West—From the Collection of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art (Ishikawa, Japan) - Oct 16, 1992 (Fri)～Nov 5, 1992 (Thu)
Masterpieces of European Oil Painting: The Paintings in 20th Century from the Renaissance to Impressionism China Art Gallery (Beijing, China)
Origin of collections
- Provenance:
Baron sale, March 23, 1861, as Circassian tenant un cheval par la bride
Adolphe E. Borie, Philadelphia, until 1880
Mrs. Borie until at least 1887
Erwin Davis, New York
Georges H. Story, from whom acquired in 1906
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut, 1906-1989
Exhibited:
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Loan Exhibited of Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Prints by Eugene Delacroix, 1930, No.40
Middletown, Connecticut, 1931
New London, Connecticut, Lyman Allen Museum, 1936
Springfield, Massachusetts, Museum of Fine Arts, The Romamtic Revolution,1939, No.23
New York, Wildenstein and Co., Eugene Delacroix 1798-1863, 1944, p.15, no.4, ill., as Mameluke horseman.
Hartford, Connenticut, Wadsworth Atheneum, The Romantic Circle, 1952, no.29
Cambrige, Masssachusetts, Fog Art Museum, Delacroix in New England Collection, 1955, no.1955, no.2 as Mameluke Horseman
New York, Salander O’Reilly Galleries, Inc. Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Eugene Delacroix: An exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Watercolor, 1986, no.56, on loan, as Mameluke Horseman.
Reference
Edward Stahan, ed., The Art Treasures of American being the Choices Works of Art in the Public and Private Collections of North America, Philadelphia, 1879-82, vol.Ⅱ, pp.16, 24, “… a study of grace and beauty.”
E.Durand-Greville, “La Peinture aux Etats-Unis; les Galeries Privées”, Gazetta des Beaux-Arts, July 1887, p.71
Lee Johnson, “Two Exotic Horse Paintings by Eugene Delacroix”, RACAR (Canadian Art Review), vol.Ⅸ, nos.1-2, pp.75-77, fig3, ill.,“…Whether or not the Hartford picture is an ethnologically accurate portrayal of a Circassian and his horse’s furniture, it is a delightful work… it has a special individuality in being of an unusual subject and design for so late a work, treated with an exquisité touch.”
Lee Johnson, The Paintings of Eugene Delacroix; A Critical Catalogue, Oxford, 1986, vol.Ⅲ, p.207, no.410 and vol. Ⅳ, pl.222,ill.
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