Adolf Schreyer

Oil on canvas, not lined. There is a horizontal dent visible at lower center. On the reverse, there are small glue repairs in the lower left corner and upper left quadrant. Under UV light, there is inpainting that corresponds with aforementioned repairs as well as above leftmost horse's head.
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Schreyer first travelled to Wallachia (now part of Romania) in 1848-9.  From 1855-67 he was with Prince von Thurn und Taxis' regiment to the eastern reaches of the Danube as an official war artist covering the Crimean War.  These visits left a lasting impression on the young artist; with their raw, untamed landscape and hardy people, Wallachian subjects appeared throughout the rest of his career.  As depicted in the present work, horses were a central component of Wallachian culture as breeding was an important component to the local economy. With stables dotting the landscape, Wallachian horse-breeding was dedicated to creating animals as powerful as they were beautiful.  These are the animals Schreyer depicts in the present work, his appreciation and study of the equine form is in bold display as the powerful, majestic team thunders across a frosty winter landscape.