French Gendarme trotting

Charles Samuel Keene 1823 - 1891

Summary

At the centre of this print is the figure of a man on horseback and he appears to be depicted as he is charging forwards on his horse. This sense of movement is created through the looser line-work particularly around the mane and tail of the horse to show the wind and also around the bottom of the print where indistinct forms are deliberately evoked to give a sense of shifting surroundings. The horse is depicted with bold, quite heavy line-work creating a sense of strength and power. The man seated on his back is in period military costume and he has his left arm raised as he holds up his sword. The hat he is wearing suggests he is in a position of leadership and he is seen looking out to the left following the direction that the horse is going. From the print series 'Twenty-one Etchings' by Charles S. Keene. Printed by Frederick Goulding (1842–1909) and published by Astolat Press (Guildford, Surrey).