Artwork
A Woman with a Horse and a Standing Man
A Woman with a Horse and a Standing Man is an ink print by the Baroque artist Joachim Franz Beich. It dates from 1712 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Joachim Franz Beich’s etching, dated around 1712, depicts a quiet outdoor scene in which a woman stands beside a horse, while a man watches from the right. A modest watercourse runs before them, framed by trees, gentle hills, and a distant structure perched on a hill, all under a cloud‑filled sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition balances human figures with nature, suggesting a moment of calm interaction between the individuals and their surroundings. The presence of the castle or large building in the background hints at a pastoral setting linked to landownership or leisure, common themes in early‑18th‑century genre scenes.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching on laid paper, the work employs fine line work characteristic of the Baroque period’s attention to detail and depth. The tonal contrasts between the foreground figures and the atmospheric background convey a sense of spatial recession typical of the era’s prints.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1712, the print belongs to the oeuvre of German artist Joachim Franz Beich, known for his landscape and animal subjects. While specific ownership records are sparse, the work reflects the early 18th‑century German print market, where such images were circulated among collectors interested in pastoral and genre scenes.
Artist & collection
