The artwork entitled “A Horse Drinking” is an oil painting by Eugene Boudin, created around 1887 in France. This piece is an example of the Realism art movement and belongs to the animal painting genre. The dimensions of the artwork are relatively modest, measuring 22.5 cm in height by 16 cm in width. Currently, it is held in a private collection.
Depicted in the artwork is a solitary horse standing beside a trough or perhaps a shallow basin of water. Its posture suggests the act of drinking, with its head lowered towards the water, emphasizing the eponymous action suggested by the title. Boudin’s use of brushstrokes imparts texture to the form of the horse, capturing the subtle variations in its coat with a muted palette, predominantly in shades of gray and white. This attention to naturalistic detail is a hallmark of the Realism movement, which sought to depict subjects truthfully without idealization.
The background is loosely defined; it appears to be an outdoor setting with a suggestion of trees and a possibly wooden structure or wall to the horse’s left. The ground is rendered in earth tones, with the interaction of light and shadow creating a solid sense of the setting the horse inhabits. Despite the small scale of the painting, Boudin manages to convey a sense of place and moment, inviting contemplation of a simple yet intimate scene from the everyday life of the animal.
