Watering Trough, Title Page of "Studies of Horses" (Etudes de Chevaux)

Art Historical Context

Théodore Géricault *Watering Trough*, in 1822 as the page for his series *Studies of Horses* (*Études de Chevaux*), captures the raw energy and nobility of equine subjects that obsessed the French Romantic artist. Amidst rustic buildings, sturdy trees, and attentive men, horses gather at a trough, their muscular forms rendered with dynamic vitality. Géricault, for dramatic works like *The Raft the Medusa* (9), channeled Romanticism's passion for nature's power and movement into these intimate studies, reflecting his lifelong fascination with horses as symbols of strength and freedom. This lithograph exemplifies early mastery of lithography, a revolutionary printmaking technique invented in the late 18th century and embraced by Géricault in France during the 1820s. Drawing directly on limestone with greasy crayon, the artist achieved fluid, painterly effects—bold lines and rich tones that mimic oil sketches—allowing multiple impressions while preserving spontaneity. At 13 7/16 x 11 1/4 inches (plate size), it invites close viewing of its textured details, from rippling manes to shadowed foliage. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art via the Rogers Fund in 1920, this print highlights Géricault's innovative bridge between painting and printmaking, offering visitors a window into 19th-century equestrian culture and the dawn of modern reproductive art.

About the Artist

Théodore Gericault · 1791–1824

Théodore Géricault, born Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault on September 26, 1791, in Rouen, France, into a prosperous family—his father a lawyer turned tobacco merchant and his mother from a line of growers—moved to Paris around 1797. Displaying early artistic promise, recognized by painter Jean-Louis Laneuville, he began formal training in 1808 under Carle Vernet, mastering English sporting art...