A sunlit stable interior with a stable boy and his horses

Wouterus Verschuur's talent was already recognized at an early age. His mentor, Pieter Gerardus van Os (1776-1839) guided him in the study and copying of the oeuvre of the celebrated 17th century horse painter Philips Wouwerman (1619-1668). In 1828, at the age of only sixteen, Verschuur made his first major artistic achievement, exhibiting at the Tentoonstelling van Levende Meesters. Only three years after, he established his reputation as an artist with competition entries to the Felix Meritis in Amsterdam, for which he was awarded two Gold Medals in a row, in 1831 and 1832. Verschuur was well-respected and admired among his peers for his technical skills and also came to teach a number of highly successful artists, most notably Anton Mauve (1838-1888).

From the start of his career, Verschuur's Romantic scenes of horses were recognized as demonstrations of his great talent to depict these animals in their rural environment. Verschuur's exceptional skills are evident in this monumental painting. The musculature of the horses and immaculate grooming are not only brilliantly observed, but rendered with great care and accurate precision. In the centre of the composition Verschuur has depicted a workhorse, whose powerful strength is clearly perceptible by its vast presence. The detail created in the animal's anatomy and Verschuur's meticulousness of depicting light is undeniable. The atmospheric depiction of the stable interior, captured in the light of a late afternoon and the sensitive details in each of the figures and in the architecture, show his competence as a painter.