Racehorses (study for "Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey")

Racehorses (study for "Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey") by Edgar Degas is an essential preparatory work executed in charcoal on light brown paper, dated approximately 1866 to 1881. Classified as a drawing, this piece exemplifies the meticulous process Degas employed in developing his complex compositions focused on modern life, specifically his preoccupation with the movement and dynamism of the racetrack.

Created during the critical French period generally defined by the years 1851 to 1875, this drawing serves as a foundational study for the artist’s larger, more dramatically narrative painting featuring a catastrophic fall during a steeplechase. Degas, a central figure in 19th-century realism and the emerging Impressionist movement, utilized charcoal not merely to outline, but to capture the kinetic energy and form of the horses in motion. The medium on the toned paper allowed him to establish rapid tonal shifts, emphasizing the powerful musculature and strained posture of the animals.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Degas relied heavily on preparatory drawings and studies derived from careful observation and often photographic sources, rather than painting en plein air. This dedication to classical drawing principles, even when applied to ephemeral contemporary scenes, defines his unique contribution to modern art. The focus here is purely on the anatomical rendering of speed, highlighting the way the artist studied motion and refined the depiction of his subject matter before committing to the final canvas.

This important French study is held within the collection of the National Gallery of Art. As a testament to the enduring academic value of this preparatory work, and due to the historical period it covers, high-quality prints derived from this and similar works are often available through public domain art institutions, allowing researchers and students access to Degas’s detailed working method.