Artwork
The End of the Day
The End of the Day is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist John Dalby. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.
About this work
Overview
John Dalby’s 1849 oil painting *The End of the Day* presents a tranquil rural tableau framed by a cloudy sky and scattered trees. A figure in a vivid red coat and top hat turns away from the viewer, pointing toward a dark brown horse that is saddled and bridled. In the distance a rider on a black horse can be seen, adding depth to the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a moment of quiet activity in the countryside, juxtaposing human presence with working animals. The red‑clad man, likely a master or overseer, gestures toward the horse, suggesting preparation for an evening ride or the conclusion of a day's labor. The distant rider reinforces themes of travel and the rhythm of rural life at dusk.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, Dalby employs a restrained palette of earth tones punctuated by the bright red of the figure’s coat. Loose brushwork conveys atmospheric clouds and foliage, while finer detailing defines the horses’ tack and the man's attire. The composition reflects British Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing mood and the interplay of light and shadow in an outdoor setting.
History & Provenance
*The End of the Day* entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century British art.
John Dalby, an English painter known for equine and hunting subjects, signed many works with “Dalby York” to denote his residence. *The End of the Day* entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of 19th‑century British art. The painting continues to illustrate Dalby’s familial tradition; his father David Dalby also painted landscapes and animals.
Artist & collection
Artist
For other uses, see John Dalby (disambiguation). John Dalby (1810–1865) was an English 19th-century painter of horses and hunting scenes. Dalby lived in York and signed his paintings "Dalby York" so that he is…
Gimcrack, with John Pratt up, on Newmarket Heath
Jumping the Brook
Two Horses with a Groom
Longford Lass and the Jew
A Bay Racehorse with a Jockey in the Colours of Wyndham Quin
Duchess
Jutta
Portrait of a Horse
Joseph Smyth Esq, Lieutenant of Whittlebury Forest, Northamptonshire, on a dapple grey horse
Jutta
Rosetta
Reveller Mare