Horse study by Wilhelm Kalb

There are certain images that are particularly special for riders. At least, that's how I always feel when I see a sleeping horse. I could watch for hours as the lip begins to slacken slightly, as the animal unconsciously shifts its weight from one leg to the other, and as its ears are absently turned away, almost as if the horse were trying to listen to itself.

Wilhelm Kalb's horse study reminds me of just such a scene in a stable. A horse is dozing in its stall. A dark chestnut with long, light hair, as is common among southern German coldbloods.

Wilhelm Kalb lived from 1870 to 1938; he died in Frankfurt. Not to be confused with the painter Friedrich Wilhelm Kalb, who worked in southern Germany. This study, oil on cardboard, shows the described horse in the stable on one side. A signature can also be seen on the feeding trough in the center right. On the other side, on the reverse, it shows an unfinished study of cows in a landscape. There is also an old label identifying the painting as part of the Wilhelm Kalb memorial exhibition at the Frankfurt Art Association, March/April 1939.

With the beautiful and contemporary wooden frame with gold edge, the picture is 62cm x 50cm in size.

It is an original and unique piece that survived the Second World War in very good condition.