Sketches of a Mounted Chasseru and a Cavalry Officer with Drawn Saber 1813 - 1814

This pencil sketch by Théodore Géricault, dating from 1813-1814, depicts a mounted cavalry officer and a dismounted officer with a drawn saber. The composition is simple and the lines are loose, suggesting a rapid, gestural style of working, perhaps a study for a larger work. Géricault's interest in capturing the human form in motion is evident in the figures, particularly the dynamic pose of the mounted officer, who is depicted with a plume in his hat and a sword at his side. The artwork is currently on view at The Art Institute of Chicago.