The Leaping Horse 1825

John Constable made "The Leaping Horse" with oil on canvas. It is now housed here at the Royal Academy. Constable was dedicated to painting the English landscape in a naturalistic way. Constable's paintings often featured working people in the landscape. Here, we see laborers working on a boat to the left, while a horseman leaps over a barrier to the right. Constable made this work during the height of the Industrial Revolution in England. The image celebrates the rural landscape. Constable seems to be pointing to an idealized image of English rural life. However, the image also incorporates the working people who were an important part of the rural economy. The art historian can analyze the political implications of this rural scene by looking at historical records about the agricultural economy of the time. By situating this painting in its social and institutional context, we can better understand its cultural meaning.