Fallen Rider 1780 - 1820

Henry William Bunbury created “Fallen Rider”, a pen and watercolor drawing, sometime in the late 18th century. The scene bursts with disarray, immediately pulling our eyes toward the chaotic composition of a rider tumbling off his horse. Bunbury masterfully uses line and color to amplify the scene's disruption. Notice how the figures—human, equine, and canine—are rendered with exaggerated expressions and postures. The lines are loose and energetic, contributing to a sense of instability. Bunbury destabilizes the traditional composure expected in equestrian portraiture. The earthy browns and greens of the landscape are punctuated by the rider's bright blue coat, drawing our attention to his moment of crisis. The composition, fractured and off-balance, underscores a disruption of social order. Bunbury uses humor to question established norms. The drawing challenges fixed meanings of class and decorum. This piece uses laughter to explore discomfort with social hierarchies.