The 1821 Derby at Epsom

Painted by the French Romantic artist Théodore Géricault in 1821, this lively scene captures four jockeys and their horses thundering across Epsom Downs during one of England's most famous races. The animals stretch out in full flight, all four legs extended at once, hooves barely touching the ground. It is a thrilling pose, but also a charming mistake. Photography did not yet exist to freeze fast motion, so artists of the time genuinely believed galloping horses moved this way. Decades later, Eadweard Muybridge's famous photo experiments would prove that horses never actually stretch like this in mid-stride.

Géricault made this work during a stay in England, where he became fascinated by the country's horse racing culture. The dramatic sky, with its dark storm clouds rolling over a sliver of bright light, adds tension and energy to the chase below. This is classic Romanticism, a style that loved big emotion, movement, and the power of nature. Though Géricault is best remembered for his monumental painting The Raft of the Medusa, his deep love of horses runs through much of his work. Sadly, his passion may have cost him his life, as he died young at 32 after a series of riding accidents.