The horse has been a integral part of human history for millennia, prized both for their agility, speed and endurance, or strength needed to pull a plow or a carriage full of people. However, improved transportation options towards the end of the 1800s, especially the construction of railways, and the development of new mechanical innovations from the early twentieth century — including the first mass-affordable automobile, ultimately superseded the four legged version of horsepower and ousting our daily reliance on the horse.
Stan Berriman ‘A man and a boy ploughing a field’ 1938
Stan Berriman, Australia 1898-1953 / (A man and a boy ploughing a field) 1938 / Gelatin silver photograph on paper / 10.9 x 20.6cm / Gift of the family of Stan Berriman in memory of Mrs V.E. Tremble 1986 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Even so, the horse is still part of our daily conversation today with a myriad of horse-related expressions that have been handed down to us over the ages; and when Australia stops for one of the most famous races in the world on the first Tuesday of November, we are reminded of popular horse racing terminology that has also made its way into our everyday language with ‘Jockeying into position’ and ‘Starting from scratch’; and who isn’t tempted to hang a horseshoe over the door for good luck?
Let’s look at the works currently on display, and some of our favourites in storage that feature the horse — they transport us around in grand carriages, we ride them, race them, study them, document their lives, they are a status and power symbol, our ally in war, we cherish them as close companions, and most importantly, they inspire us to create.
So, next time you visit the Gallery, see how many horses you can find, also check out our round-up of cats and dogs in the Collection.
‘Horse head’ 202BC-AD8 (Western Han dynasty)
Unknown, China / Horse head 202BC-AD8 (Western Han dynasty) / Earthenware, red and white pigment on metal base / 16.8 x 5.5 x 16.5cm / Gift of an anonymous donor through the QAG Foundation 2012. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
‘Horse’ 618-907 (Tang dynasty)
Unknown, China / Horse 618-907 (Tang dynasty) / Mould-cast earthenware, cream glaze, yellow-ochre lead glaze / 47.2 x 16.5 x 43cm / Gift of an anonymous donor through the QAG Foundation 2012. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Albrecht Dürer ‘The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse’ 1497–98
Albrecht Dürer, Germany 1471–1528 / The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse (from ‘The Apocalypse’ series) c.1497–98, Latin edition, 1511 / Woodcut on laid paper / Purchased 2013 with funds from the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Diversity Foundation through the QAGOMA Foundation Appeal / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Tosa Mitsuatsu‘Pair of six fold screens’ 18th century
Tosa Mitsuatsu, Japan b.fl. 1734-64 / Pair of six fold screens: Scenes from the Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) mid 18th century (Edo period) / Gold and colours on paper on six-fold wooden framed screens / 172.3 x 368.2cm (each) / Purchased 2008 with funds from the Estate of Vincent Stack through the QAG Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Utagawa Hiroshige III‘View of trading companies at Yokohama‘ 1871
Utagawa Hiroshige III, Japan 1843-94 / View of trading companies at Yokohama 1871 / Woodblock print, ink and colour on paper / Triptych: 37 x 24.8cm (each panel, approx.), 111 x 74..4cm (overall, approx.) / Purchased 2022 with funds from the Henry and Amanda Bartlett Trust through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
‘Netsuke: (two horses)‘ 19th century
Unknown, Japan / Netsuke: (two horses) 19th century / Carved boxwood on flat base / 3.5 x 4.5 x 4cm / Bequest of Karl and Gertrude Langer 1985 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
George Jones‘Black horse’
George Jones, England 1786 – 1869 / Black horse / Oil on wood / 30.5 x 22.5cm / Bequest of Mrs Irene Lilian Bingham Stable 1975 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
ST Gill‘Overlanders’ 1865
ST Gill, England/Australia 1818- 80 / Overlanders (from ‘The Australian sketchbook’) 1865 / Colour lithograph on smooth wove paper / 29 x 43.2cm / Purchased 1962 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
William Strutt‘Study of a horse’s head‘ 1884
William Strutt, England/Australia 1825-1915 / Study of a horse’s head related to ‘Black Thursday, 6th February, 1851’ c.1884 / Pencil and watercolour wash on smooth wove paper / 22.6 x 25.7cm / Gift of Lady Trout 1981 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Harriet Jane Neville-Rolfe‘Breakfast, Alpha’ 1884
Harriet Jane Neville-Rolfe, England/Australia 1850-1928 / Breakfast, Alpha (and detail) 1884 / Watercolour over pencil on wove paper / 25.3 x 35.4cm / Gift of the artist’s son in her memory 1964 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
‘Racing trophy: The Wythes and Hodgson Cup’ c.1870-73
Attrib. To William Edwards, Australia c.1819-c.1889 / Racing trophy: The Wythes and Hodgson Cup (and detail) c.1870-73 / Narrow necked ovoid body arising from a tree fern stem with incurving handles and cast grapes, parrots and snake decoration. The lid surmounted by a kangaroo. The beaded heptafoil base with repousse rocks, ferns and figures of a male and female Aborigine in oxidised silver. Engraved on one face with an inscription between repousse fern trees and on the other with three horses in full gallop. Mounted on a black turned wooden base with metal plaque / 51 x 15cm (with base) / Gift of Miss Pamela Bell 1985 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Eadweard Muybridge ‘Dan’ galloping, saddled’ 1887
Eadweard Muybridge, United States 1830-1904 / ‘Dan’ galloping, saddled (plate 634 from ‘Animal Locomotion’ album) 1887 / Collotype on paper / 48.3 x 61.2cm / Purchased 1991 with funds from James Hardie Industries Limited through the QAG Foundation / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
George W Lambert, Australia/England 1873-1930 / Bushranger / Brush and brown washes over pencil, heightened with opaque white on wove paper / 26 x 18cm / Gift of Lady Trout 1981 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
George W. Lambert ‘Walk (An incident at Romani)’ 1919-22
George W. Lambert, Australia/England 1873-1930 / Walk (An incident at Romani) 1919-22 / 92 x 138.1cm / Oil on canvas / Gift of the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance in memory of Comrades who did not return from the war c.1922 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Ethel Spowers ‘Birds following a plough’ 1933
Ethel Spowers, Australia 1890–1947 / Birds following a plough 1933 / Colour linocut on thin off-white laid Oriental paper / 23.2 x 36cm / Purchased 1979 / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art