The artwork titled “The Pursuit” was created by the well-known firm Currier and Ives in 1856. As a genre painting from the Romanticism movement, this work is illustrative of the era’s dramatic and emotional themes.
Depicted in the scene are two men on horseback engaged in a high-speed chase. The leading rider appears to have been thrown from his horse but is still holding onto the reins, creating a sense of urgency and motion. Both horses are rendered with dynamic energy, their postures suggesting rapid movement through the field. The background features an atmospheric sky that contributes to the drama of the moment, reflecting the Romantic emphasis on nature and human emotion. The detailed artwork captures the intensity of the chase with careful attention to the movement of the grass, the expressions on the men’s faces, and the muscular tone of the horses, which adds to the overall impact of the scene.