34. Carle Vernet

Title

34. Carle Vernet

Illustration shows a seated Arabian holding the reins of his Arabian horse. Lithograph published (1818-1825) by François Séraphin Delpech (b. 1778 - d. 1825) after the original drawing by Carle Vernet.

ca. 1820

Artist

Vernet (1758-1836)

Carle Vernet (1758 - 1836) came from a well-known family of artists – his father was the painter Claude Joseph Vernet. He received a classical education at the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in Paris and won the Prix de Rome in 1782, which allowed him to study in Italy. He became especially famous for his lively, dynamic depictions of horses, riders, and battle scenes, particularly from the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Carle was a master of capturing the movement and anatomy of horses, earning him a reputation as one of the finest horse painters of his time. In addition to his war paintings, he also created caricatures and hunting scenes, and later worked with lithography. His works often combined realism with a certain elegance, which made them popular among both the military and the aristocracy. Carle Vernet was also the father of the even more famous painter Horace Vernet, who likewise gained great renown as a painter of battles and historical scenes.