488 



NATURE 



[March 27, 1879 



I 



A STUDY IN LOCOMOTION^ 

 III. 



T would be very interesting to pass in review the 

 principal epochs of art and trace out the manner of 

 representing horses in motion in various periods of pro- 

 gress or decadence. But such a study would fail to realise 

 its full value unless carried out by an artist. 



Col. Duhousset, who joins the skill of the draughtsman 

 to a perfect acquaintance with the exterior of the horse, 

 has essayed a work of this kind, and in a recent publica- 





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Fig. 20. — Assyrian bas-relief (British Museum). A horse ambling. 



tion has pointed out the merits and defects of certain 

 modern artistic performances, M. Duhousset has also 

 gathered together a curious collection of representations 

 of the horse at different epochs of art, and has entmsted 

 to me a few specimens, which I will now exhibit to you. 

 You will see that in a general manner art has progressed, 

 proceeding from simple forms to more masterly delinea- 

 tions. 



Figs. 20 and 21 represent horses ambling. Has the 

 artist selected this pace because it was in general use'at 



Fig. 21. — Egyptian ta^-relief (Medinet-Abou). Two horses attached to a 

 chariot, and ambhng. 



that time "} This is scarcely probable ; it would seem 

 more likely that he has chosen it because of its extreme 

 simplicity. To seize the moment when the four feet all 

 touch the ground, to repeat in the posterior limbs the 

 attitude of the limbs in front, and, lastly, to represent all 

 the horses harnessed together as keeping exact time in 



' "Moteurs animes ; Experiences de Physiologie graphique." Lecture 

 by Prof. Marey at the Paris meeting of the French Association, August 29, 

 1878. Continued from p. 467. 



their movements so as to draw them all with a single 



mm. 



Fig. 22. — ■' The Cavalier and Death," by Albrecht Durer. Horse at the trot. 



profile : this is certainly one way of eluding all the diffi- 

 culties of the situation. 



Fg. 23. — Statue of Henri IV. on the Pont Neuf. Example of the c;rrect 

 trot. 



The pace of the irot, correctly represented in the 



Fig. 24. — Assyrian bas-relief. Fo:t-pace. 



Roman epoch, in the equestrian statues of the Balbi 



