| The History of the horse in art is one | | | | 645 B.C. and can now be found in the |
| that spans thousands of years, and goes | | | | British Museum. |
| back to before the horse was first | | | | Form of bas-reliefs carvings in the |
| domesticated. The discoveries of rock | | | | palaces from Niveveh date back |
| paintings at Lascaux and Avignon in | | | | approximately to 645 BC and give a vivid |
| France have provided us with an insight | | | | portrayal of the times. They include |
| , not only in to the very early artists, | | | | carvings of an exotic lion hunt with the |
| but also of the physical appearance of | | | | king in his chariot. Standing alongside |
| the primitive horse. That these | | | | are the beautifully and evocatively |
| paintings have survived at all is | | | | displayed horses, tense with the |
| unbelievable, but when you consider | | | | excitement of the chase. They even |
| their date of approximately 20,000 BC, | | | | showing the harnessing and tack that |
| and compare this to the condition they | | | | were being used on the horses. The |
| are in, is it quite astonishing. | | | | horses appear muscular and in good |
| Significance of Cave Paintings. Both the | | | | condition , obviously well looked after, |
| Sites at Lascaux and Avignon are buried | | | | but are depicted with a typical, |
| in deep underground caves, and perhaps | | | | straight legged movement it is many |
| this has largely contributed to their | | | | years before horses were shown with a |
| preservation. It is interesting to | | | | natural movement in their gait. |
| consider why these paintings were done | | | | The relief's at Nimrud, which date to |
| in such inaccessible places and whether | | | | approximately 865-860 BC, are equally as |
| they were depictions of what early man | | | | vivid as those at Nineveh. They show |
| considered to be spiritual or god-like | | | | mounted archers riding mounted bareback |
| animals. Alternatively , they could | | | | on powerful looking stallions, while |
| simply have been portrayals in | | | | aiming their bows. Again, the relief's |
| admiration of the fierce and wild spirit | | | | show the elaborate bridles that were in |
| of the early horses. One vivid drawing | | | | use and a type of decorative neck |
| is the picture of a horse at Niaux, in | | | | hanging with tassels. |
| the mid-Pyrenees. Carefully drawn with | | | | Horse Sculptures, perhaps some of the |
| the heavy black outline, it bears a | | | | most early amazing sculptures are the |
| striking resemblance to Przewalski's | | | | four figurines of the early gilded |
| horse. Others, at the site at | | | | copper horses which reside in the |
| Vallon-Point-d'Arc, are depicted with | | | | Basilica San Marco, Venic. These horses |
| flowing lines and bold colour and are so | | | | date back to the third of forth century |
| detailed that it is possible to pick out | | | | BC and stand larger than life size. They |
| spotted markings similar to the | | | | are believed to have been produced by |
| Appaloosa. | | | | the Greek sculptor Lysippus and are |
| Carvings of Nineveh and Nimrud. Pictures | | | | wonderfully proud and mascular. They are |
| of the horse through the centuries | | | | fairly atomically correct, very life |
| provide us with a tremendous | | | | like. |
| information, ranging from the horse in | | | | Horses have been depicted in the history |
| society, to how the horse developed. | | | | af art for their strength and beauty. |
| Another great source of pictures comes | | | | This such depiction has been the subject |
| from the Assyrian people of the Middle | | | | of many an artist, that has continued to |
| East, and the best of these are in the | | | | this day. And, being a very popular |
| Assyrian Ashurbanipal Hunting Relief | | | | subject, can only enrich art as a |
| Large. This relief was found in the | | | | tribute to the horse. |
| Ashurbanipal Palace, Nineveh. It is from | | | | |