A Farm-Hand Riding a Horse to Water 1853

Stephan Ussing created this sculpture of ‘A Farm-Hand Riding a Horse to Water’ in the mid-19th century using bronze. The choice of bronze is critical. While seemingly traditional, bronze elevates the subject matter. Usually, farmhands and their work were not considered worthy of such enduring treatment. Bronze casting would have involved a complex series of steps. Ussing would have started with a clay model, then created a mold for the hot metal. The figure would have been finished with careful chasing, a process of refining the surface. All of this labor, however, pales in comparison to the farmhand’s labor. Ussing captures a moment of respite. The horse drinks, head bowed, while the rider slumps slightly, clearly weary. The sculpture reminds us of the hierarchy of labor, and the value we place on different kinds of work. This piece challenges the established art world by bringing attention to the ordinary lives of working-class individuals, through materials and processes usually reserved for more elevated subjects.