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