Sketch of Horse and Rider n.d.

Benjamin Robert Haydon created this sketch of a horse and rider with pen and brown ink, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Haydon was an English painter who dedicated himself to the grand style of history painting. His ambition was to reform the Royal Academy and promote history painting, which he saw as having a high moral and social purpose. This sketch, like many others he produced, was likely part of the intensive process of studying human and animal anatomy that underpinned his large history paintings. The image summons associations with classical equestrian statues which embodied power and authority. At a time of revolution and social change, Haydon sought to promote the elevated status of art and the artist. To understand this drawing better, we can consult Haydon's own writings, as well as institutional records, exhibition reviews, and the biographies of his contemporaries. This helps us understand the place of art within its social and institutional context.