By Permission of Braun & Co., Paris and New York
THE HORSE FAIR
Questions to arouse interest. How many of you have ever attended a horse fair? Where is this horse fair, and what kind of horses are they? How are they controlled? What is the object of having a horse fair? How many horses are represented in this picture? How many are in the same position? Which are under the best control? Which have their ears back? What does that indicate? Which horse is trying to throw his rider? Which horse looks vicious? How is he controlled? What colors do you think they are? What can you see in the background? Upon what part of the horses does the light fall? What does this tell us of the position of the sun? the time of day? Which horse has a blanket on his back? Why do you think he is not entered for the prize? Which horse is the most lifelike? To which one would you give the blue ribbon?
Original Picture: Metropolitan Museum, New York City.
Artist: Rosa Bonheur (bō nûr´).
Birthplace: Bordeaux, France.
Dates: Born, 1822; died, 1899.
The story of the picture. In this day of the automobile we do not hear much about horse fairs. Of course, we still have our county fairs, but there the horse is only a small part of the attraction. In many places also horse markets are held where all kinds of horses are brought to be sold, but these could hardly be compared to a horse fair, where only the finest specimens are entered. In some of our large cities we have what we call horse shows, which in a measure seem to have taken the place of the old-fashioned horse fair. So we have the International Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, New York City, one almost as large at Chicago, Illinois, another at Olympia, Washington, one in Montreal, Canada, the famous Horse Show in London, and others. But how unlike the scene represented in this picture they are!