Horace Vernet

Horace Vernet painted action. Battles, cavalry charges, horses, hunts and scenes from North Africa fill his canvases, painted fast and with close attention to real uniforms, weapons and places. He preferred modern soldiers shown as they really looked to idealised heroes.

He was born in the Louvre into a family of painters: his father was Carle Vernet and his grandfather Claude-Joseph Vernet. He became one of the most popular artists in France, directed the French Academy in Rome from 1829 to 1835, and painted huge battle scenes for King Louis-Philippe at Versailles, including the Constantine room with the campaigns in Algeria. He travelled with the French army and was also an early user of the daguerreotype.

His smaller pictures show his love of horses and of Algeria, as in An Algerian Lady Hawking. Look for the lively movement and the precise details of dress and harness.