Who painted Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank?

Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank was painted by Nicolas Pérignon in 1771.

Where can I see Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank?

Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank?

Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank

Nicolas Pérignon , 1771

Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Nicolas Pérignon. It dates from 1771 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Nicolas Pérignon’s 1771 print titled *Horses Being Led to Water on a Winding Riverbank* is an etching executed on laid paper. The work measures the typical dimensions of a small to medium‑size print and is catalogued among the artist’s late‑career prints. It is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a group of horses descending a steep, sinuous riverbank toward a body of water. The animals are shown with sharply bent legs, emphasizing the precariousness of the terrain, while the water below appears dark and turbulent, suggesting a potentially hazardous crossing. The composition captures a moment of controlled movement within a natural, untamed landscape.

Technique & Style

Pérignon employed drypoint, a variant of intaglio printmaking, to create the image. By incising lines directly into a copper plate with a sharp needle, he produced burr‑rich strokes that translate into velvety, deep lines on the laid paper. The texture of the paper and the visible needle marks give the scene a tactile, immediate quality characteristic of late‑18th‑century French printmaking.

History & Provenance

The etching was produced in 1771, near the end of Pérignon’s active period as a printmaker. After changing hands among private collectors, it entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the mid‑20th century, where it remains part of the museum’s European prints and drawings collection.