Ludwig Koch was a renowned equestrian painter in his home country of Austria and today his work is known throughout the world. Clearly he had a thing for dressage and coming from Austria he had plenty of material to work with.
Unknown In The Crowd
Sadly when Ludwig immigrated to the US in the 1920’s his art went unappreciated there during the rest of his lifetime. However love of the subject matter is obvious in each loving detail of his work.
However simple his brush strokes may seem on the surface he manages to capture great movement and detail in his work.
Movement In Art
Above all I can appreciate Ludwig’s ability to capture the movement of his subjects. Horses are rarely still, but it’s hard to convey that constant movement on a canvas. His deft technique is probably exemplified most in ‘Lancers’ which has to be my personal favorite. I’d love to hear yours in the comments below. Be sure to check out more horses of the masters while you are here.
I’m not seeing simple brush strokes in these horse paintings, but instead, artful (and complex) solutions. There’s a whole lot of detail that makes these renditions work. Perhaps part of this perspective comes from a former life as an illustrator and an associated appreciation for what it takes to create such powerful pictures. Thanks so much for the highlight treat.
That ‘Lancers’ painting is incredible, and my favorite too of those you highlighted.