Horse Walking 1850 - 1920

Edgar Degas, the French Impressionist painter, made this bronze sculpture of a horse sometime around 1866 to 1881. Degas was fascinated by the movements of horses. You can see how he captures the horse’s gait with a naturalism that reflects his interest in accurately portraying modern life. France in the late 19th century was a rapidly changing society. Industrialization and urbanization were transforming traditional social structures. Artists like Degas were breaking away from academic conventions and seeking new ways to represent the world around them. To understand Degas's vision, we can look to sources such as exhibition reviews, letters, and the writings of contemporary art critics. These historical materials help us interpret the image, and they reveal how deeply art is embedded in the social and institutional context of its time.