Artwork
Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey
Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey is an oil on canvas executed by Edgar Degas in 1866. The work portrays a moment of a horse‑race accident, with a jockey lying in the mud while the horse rears, its legs suspended. The painting is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and was first shown at the Paris Salon of 1866.
Subject & Meaning
Degas concentrates on the instant of disruption rather than the sport itself. The composition captures the jockey’s twisted limbs and the startled expression on his face, emphasizing the physical vulnerability of the rider amid the chaotic energy of the race. The surrounding splashed mud reinforces the suddenness of the crash.
Technique & Style
Although Degas often employed pastels to explore movement, he chose oil for this piece, allowing him to render sharper edges and a more immediate sense of impact. Loose, gestural brushstrokes convey the turbulence of the scene, while the contrast between the dark mud and the lighter horse highlights the drama of the moment.
History & Provenance
Degas revisited the canvas twice, making substantial alterations in 1880–81 and again in 1897, reflecting his ongoing interest in the composition. After its Salon debut, the painting entered private collections before being acquired by the National Gallery of Art, where it remains on public display.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas on 19 July 1834 in Paris, Edgar Degas came from an affluent banking family with aristocratic roots and spent his childhood among the cultivated circles of the French capital.
