7i6 



THE PAINTER'S HORSE. 



torious the painting may be in other respects. Barroil 

 (L'Art Equestre) justly remarks that the fact that the 

 domain of the painter is what one sees and not what reahy 

 takes place, is no proof that one sees attitudes which do 

 not exist. " It is, however, by virtue of this theory, set up 

 as an axiom, that many artists represent, in their works, 

 horses in attitudes which they have never assumed, and 

 which they could not assume." 



f'ig. 657. — Horse Leaping, by Aiken. 



A common form of conventional leap appears to have 

 been taken from Aiken's drawing (Fig. 657). It is neither 

 correct, nor does it give — at least, to a horseman — the idea 

 of what is intended to be represented. A horse in the act 

 of landing is often represented with its fore feet so far to 

 the front that, when they will come to the ground, it could 

 not possibly raise its fore-hand, and a fall would be the 

 inevitable result. Fig. 658 gives a correct rendering of the 



