Wouterus Verschuur Dutch, 1812-1874

Wouterus Verschuur was one of the most reputed Dutch painters of horses, often compared to his Golden Age predecessor Philips Wouwerman. Like him, Verschuur celebrated the beauty of working horses in stable interiors, farmyards and in the fields, inspired by the force and elegance of their equestrian anatomy. The inventive arrangements and brilliant execution betray a proficient painter, who was to become Holland's leading animalier.

The current painting is truly exceptional in that it combines his favourite animals with another, very Dutch genre: that of the winterlandscape with figures on the ice. Seeing the magnificent horses on the dark, glassy frozen river, one wonders why the the artist has not painted this theme more often. The combination works superbly, not only because of the meticulous detail of the figures and horses with their gleaming coats against the snowy backdrop - but also because of the monumental size of the painting. The present lot is a rare example of horses on the ice by this particular artist and can truly be regarded as a masterpiece of his hand.