Artwork

Cal murg închis și un grăjdar; pandant: Cal murg deschis și un grăjdar

Cal murg închis și un grăjdar; pandant: Cal murg deschis și un grăjdar is a print by the Baroque artist August Querfurt. It dates from 1738 and is held in the collection of the Brukenthal National Museum.

About this work

Overview

August Querfurt’s oil painting, titled *Cal murg închis și un grăjdar; pandant: Cal murg deschis și un grăjdar*, dates to around 1738. It presents a nocturnal woodland scene in which two riders on dark horses move through dense foliage, the composition balanced by a vivid red banner draped over one horse’s back.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts a pair of mounted figures—likely hunters or guards—travelling through a shadowy forest. Their focused postures and the presence of a staff suggest a purposeful journey, while the contrasting red cloth may signal a heraldic or ceremonial element, drawing attention to the rider’s status.

Technique & Style

Querfurt employs pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing the limited light filtering through the trees to illuminate the riders and the bright banner against a predominantly muted palette of greens and browns. The handling of texture in the foliage and the glossy sheen of the horses’ coats demonstrates the artist’s skill in rendering atmospheric depth.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1738, the painting belongs to Querfurt’s later period, when he specialized in equestrian and hunting subjects. Its title indicates it was intended as a diptych, with a companion piece—*Cal murg deschis și un grăjdar*—showing a similar scene under different lighting conditions, suggesting a thematic pairing for display.

Artist & collection

Artist

August Querfurt

August Querfurt (1696, Wolfenbüttel – 1761, Vienna) was an Austrian painter. He painted primarily soldiers and battle scenes. He was first instructed by his father, Tobias Querfurt, a landscape and animal painter, and…