Race Horses by Degas

Overlooking vast green meadows under a bright sky, this major Impressionist artwork named “Race Horses” bears witness to the passionate appeal of Degas Edgar for the equestrian world. This peerless creator captures the coiled energy of thoroughbreds before the starting signal of the horse race. By combining the elegance of nature with the athletic discipline of the riders, the artist offers a modern and vibrant vision that breaks free from academic representations.

In the center of the composition, a jockey wearing a yellow jacket and a blue cap rides a proud brown horse shown in profile facing right. On the right, two other jockeys in light jackets wait quietly by his side, seen from behind on their robust mounts. Further away on the left, a rider in a red jacket and blue cap gallops at full speed toward the misty horizon. The background reveals gentle rolling hills under a beautiful ochre sky, where the blurred silhouettes of a steeple and a small countryside village stand out and complete this beautiful natural landscape view.

The virtuoso technique of pastel allows the artist to skillfully use the natural grain of the support to represent the clouds. The light and colorful hatchings of the grass brilliantly render the changing light and the texture of the wild grass in an open-air atmosphere.