Wild Horse

Wild Horse is a dynamic lithograph created by Eugène Delacroix in 1828. This powerful impression, classified as the first state of two, showcases the artist’s early mastery in the specialized field of printmaking. The choice of medium allowed Delacroix to rapidly execute works and disseminate them to a wider audience than was possible with traditional painting.

The work embodies the Romantic spirit of the era, focusing intensely on the subject of horses. Delacroix was captivated by animals in motion, using the lithographic stone to emphasize the raw power and untamed quality of the beast through energetic lines and dramatic use of contrast. This fascination with the exotic and the volatile nature of animals was a defining characteristic of Delacroix’s artistic production, often influenced by contemporary travel accounts and literature celebrating the vibrancy of non-European cultures.

Dating from a highly productive period, this piece demonstrates the technical sophistication Delacroix brought to the graphic arts. He transformed the relatively new medium of lithography into a tool for highly expressive draftsmanship. The focus is stark and monumental, despite the small scale of the print.

This superb example of early 19th-century French prints is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its cultural importance and historical age, the work is frequently found within public domain databases, allowing scholars and art enthusiasts globally to access high-quality reproductions of this composition.