The Horses of Paulus Potter
Paulus Potter was a Dutch painter during the mid 17th century, he lived a short but artistic life and died of tuberculosis before reaching his 30th birthday. Much of his short life was spend observing and painting barnyard animals, particularly cows and horses.
Animal Portraits
Potter may well have been the first pet portrait artist, as his subjects were the animals themselves. He was said to have wandered the Dutch countryside with his sketchbook in hand – fascinated with the harmony between the animals, their surroundings and the light that played upon them.
Potter’s work had a profound influence on the way animals were depicted in European art of the time.
Rider on a Brown Horse
Two Horses in a Meadow near a Gate
The Piebald Horse
Piebald Horse
Four Bulls
Animal Lover
Often older horse art is not actually horse-specific and the animals are not the central subject of the work. It’s fun to see the work of an artist who loves the naturalness of his subjects and strives to convey that in his art.