Two Dapple-Gray Horses Exercising (Deux chevaux gris pommele que l'on promene)

Executed as a colour lithograph, the image employs the relatively new lithographic process that allowed for nuanced tonal variation and vivid hues. Cogniet’s handling of line and wash creates a sense of depth, while the colour palette—muted greys for the horses against a softer background—reinforces the impression of movement within a static medium.

Created in 1822, the work emerged during the early surge of lithography’s popularity in France, a period when the medium was embraced for its capacity to reproduce images more widely than traditional engraving. Cogniet, primarily known as a history and portrait painter and a prolific teacher, used the print to explore a different artistic avenue, though its subsequent ownership record remains limited.