The artwork “Artilleryman Saddling His Horse” is a genre painting created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1879. This oil on canvas piece measures 50.5 by 37.5 cm and is affiliated with the Impressionist movement. The artwork is housed at the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France, and offers viewers a glimpse into a moment from the daily life of a 19th-century artilleryman.
In the artwork, the main subject is an artillery soldier saddling a grey horse. The scene is depicted with a sense of immediacy and a loose, expressive brushwork characteristic of Impressionist art. The horse’s body, rendered in shades of grey and white, contrasts with the darker tones of the soldier’s uniform, demonstrating Toulouse-Lautrec’s aptitude for capturing the interplay of light and shadow. Though the soldier’s figure is partially obscured by the horse, it is evident that he is engaged in his task, with his attention focused on the saddle. The background is a whirl of abstract shapes and colors, suggesting a landscape that blurs into a haze, further emphasizing the foreground action. The use of vivid color and dynamic strokes conveys movement and life within the frame, inviting the observer to ponder the narrative of this everyday activity during a time when horses were integral to military operations. Toulouse-Lautrec’s signature can be spotted within the artwork, adding a personal touch to the piece and reaffirming the authenticity of his authorship.
