The Vale of the White Horse 1939

"The Vale of the White Horse" (1939) by Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) is a landscape painting that depicts the famous white horse figure carved into the hillside of Uffington, Oxfordshire. Ravilious, known for his illustrative style, captures the rolling hills and the horse’s outline with precise detail, emphasizing the monumentality of the ancient landmark. The painting utilizes a cool color palette, with washes of muted green and gray, evoking the English countryside in a peaceful and somewhat melancholic manner. The distinct lines and simplified forms exemplify Ravilious's artistic style, rooted in the tradition of English landscape painting.