A New Group Show Traces the Role of the Horse in Art History
By Artnet Gallery Network
The horse has long stood as a perennial source of inspiration for artists across millennia, in no small part underpinned by the pivotal role the animals have played in the development of human civilization as well as sport and recreation since time immemorial. The horse also stands as one of the most challenging motifs for artists to render, necessitating an advanced understanding of the animal’s anatomy, the arrangement of muscles, and movement. It is the equine’s place in art history that serves as a curatorial starting point for a new exhibition, “Horse Power,” at Rookleys Canadian Art in Ridgeway, Canada, on view May 30–July 31, 2026.
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Courtesy of Rookleys Canadian Art.
Bringing together more than 80 works from the gallery’s collection, both historical and contemporary, “Horse Power” is presented in collaboration with the Fort Erie Race Track, which is just over seven miles from the gallery. The track opened in 1897 and reflects over a century of Canadian horse racing—and with the track debuting its 2026 season the same weekend as the exhibition opens, taps into the parallel role that horses have played in Canadian art history.
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Presenting horse-centered paintings from a diverse roster of artists and from different time periods offers viewers a singular opportunity to survey and compare the varied approaches both technically and thematically toward the subject.
Maud Lewis, Horse-Drawn Sleigh and Covered Bridge (ca. 1968). Courtesy of Rookley Canadian Art.
Highlights from the show include work by Canadian folk art icon Maud Lewis. The wintry scene in Horse-Drawn Sleigh and Covered Bridge (ca. 1968) does not directly focus on the animals, but within the context of “Horse Power,” highlights the unquestioning presence of horses across time and culture.
Elsewhere, and both dating to ca. 1950, Mare and Colt by Robert Elmer Lougheed and The Filly by Franklin Arbuckle poetically display the bucolic symbolism that came to be associated with the horse in the 20th century. While the planes of light and hue indicate each artist’s respective skill in depicting horses realistically, the loose brushwork and penchant for impressionistic techniques reveal the emotional, universal nature of the horse motif itself.
Franklin Arbuckle, The Filly (ca. 1950). Courtesy of Rookleys Canadian Art.
Complemented by works from contemporary voices, the exhibition also offers a glimpse into the future of horses in art. Several works by Chinese Canadian artist Peter Cheung speak directly to the collaboration with Fort Erie Race track, focused on the uproarious nature of the venue or, conversely, the quiet moments riders find such as in stalls or the trail with their horses.
As the gallery notes, “By the end of the visit, guests leave with a clearer understanding of how horses shaped Canadian culture, labor, and imagination, and how generations of artists have worked to capture their lasting presence on canvas.”
Peter Cheung, Hack Your Own Path (2026). Courtesy of Rookleys Canadian Art.
“Horse Power” is on view at Rookleys Canadian Art, Ridgeway, Canada, through July 31, 2026.
This article was originally published by Artnet News.