Mare and Foal 1965 - 1966

Arthur Sarnoff painted this scene of a mare and foal in a field, and it feels like a love letter to the joy of movement. Look at the way the paint is layered, creating this really smooth, almost seamless surface. There’s a certain quality to the rendering of the horses bodies, a sleekness that feels so tactile, you can almost feel the warmth of their coats in the sun. Then, there’s this incredible energy in the way they’re moving, the way the foal is trying to keep up with the mare, their tails extended straight behind them, manes flowing back from their heads. It's as if Sarnoff is trying to capture a fleeting moment. The field itself is a flurry of small brushstrokes, each one a tiny flower or blade of grass. It makes me think of other artists who were interested in movement and color, maybe someone like Degas, although with a touch of pastoral charm that's uniquely Sarnoff's. It reminds us that art is always talking to art, and there's always room for different voices to join the conversation.