This preparatory study of a running figure leading a horse was used for The Horse Market (fig. 1), now in the Haggin Museum of Art, Stockton. As the painting was exhibited at the Salon of 1867, the drawing must date from one of Gérôme’s early Egyptian visits of 1856 or 1862.

The finished composition is characteristic of Gérôme’s Orientalist interest in moments of spectacle and commercial ritual, in this case the presentation of a chestnut Arabian stallion to a potential buyer. Gérôme’s sharp observational skills are evident in the taut musculature of the horse and the crisp architectural detail, although the projecting mashrabiya window, typical of Egyptian architecture, is curiously supported by brackets of Indian or Southeast Asian design.

In the drawing, Gérôme concentrates almost exclusively on the human figure, rendered with precision and controlled dynamism. The man’s pose, barefoot and straining forward with his arm outstretched, perfectly captures the tension of motion. The outlines of the horse are faintly suggested, indicating its place in the composition while keeping the focus on the man’s gesture and anatomy. The careful modulation of line and attention to drapery folds show Gérôme’s academic training and his concern for clarity and expressive structure, even at the preparatory stage.

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