Church and Horse 1964

Alex Colville's 1964 painting, "Church and Horse", exemplifies the artist's signature style of realism and symbolism. The stark white church, with its closed door, stands against a muted, almost ominous, sky. A black horse, seemingly in mid-stride, bursts through a gate, creating a dramatic contrast against the stillness of the building. The horse, often interpreted as a symbol of freedom, juxtaposed with the closed church, suggests a tension between the spiritual and the secular. Colville's use of precise detail and muted color palette creates a haunting, almost dreamlike atmosphere, characteristic of his work.