An Antique Sculpture of a Horse
Medium
graphite on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 23.9 x 34.1 cm (9 7/16 x 13 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
1995.47.30
Art Historical Context
Jacques-Louis David, a of Neoclassicism, created *An Antique Sculpture of a* in 1780 during his formative years in Rome. Fresh from winning the prestigious Prix de Rome in 4, David immersed himself in the city's ancient ruins, sketching classical antiquities to hone his precise, idealized style. This graphite drawing captures the noble form of a Roman horse sculpture, reflecting the era's reverence for Greco-Roman art as a model for moral and aesthetic perfection. Rendered on laid paper—a traditional support with its characteristic chain lines visible under light—the work showcases David's ma...
About the Artist
Jacques-Louis David · 1748–1825
Jacques-Louis David, born on August 30, 1748, in Paris, emerged as the preeminent French painter of Neoclassicism, a movement emphasizing austere lines, moral clarity, and classical antiquity as antidotes to Rococo frivolity. Orphaned young after his father's death in a duel, he was raised by prosperous architect uncles and educated at the Collège des Quatre-Nations. Defying family expectations, D...