Artwork
A Soldier with an Officer's Charger
A Soldier with an Officer's Charger is an oil painting by John Frederick Herring, Sr.. It dates from 1839 and is held in the collection of the Denver Art Museum. John Frederick Herring Sr.
About this work
Overview
John Frederick Herring Sr., an English painter active in the early Victorian period, completed the oil painting *A Soldier with an Officer's Charger* in 1839. The work presents a solitary soldier in a red jacket and white trousers beside a brown horse, set against a muted countryside backdrop of a dirt track, fence, and scattered trees under a cloudy sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a uniformed soldier, his right hand resting on his hip and his left hand reaching toward the animal. The horse, an officer’s charger, turns its head slightly toward the man, suggesting a moment of quiet interaction between rider and mount, evoking themes of duty and the bond between soldier and horse.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, Herring employs a restrained palette of earth tones and muted greys, emphasizing texture in the horse’s coat and the soldier’s fabric. The brushwork captures the sheen of the horse’s mane and the subtle play of light on the cloudy sky, reflecting the artist’s reputation for detailed equine studies.
Context
Herring, who began his career as a coachman before turning to painting, was renowned for his animal subjects, particularly horses. This work aligns with his broader interest in depicting the working life of horses and their handlers, a motif also seen in later pieces such as *Pharaoh’s Chariot Horses* (1848).
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
John Frederick Herring Sr. (12 September 1795 – 23 September 1865), also known as John Frederick Herring I, was a painter, sign maker and coachman in Victorian England. He painted the 1848 "Pharoah's Chariot Horses"…
