Horses at a Fountain

Rimer employs chiaroscuro, contrasting illuminated forms with deep shadows to model the horses’ musculature and the fountain’s architecture. The oil medium allows for smooth blending of tones, giving the animals a tactile presence. The limited color range and careful handling of light contribute to a sense of depth and three‑dimensionality without overt detail.

Created in 1856, the painting entered the Art Institute of Chicago’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on view. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s mid‑nineteenth‑century output, reflecting the period’s interest in rural and pastoral subjects rendered with academic precision.