N.C. Wyeth (1882-1947), Smokey Face, 1917, oil on canvas, 32¼ x 40 in. Brigham Young University Museum of Art. Gifted in memory of L. Weston Oaks and Jessie Nelson Oaks, 1989.

So what did he come back with? Cowboys, cattle and lots of horses.

Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899), The Horse Fair, 1852-55, oil on canvas, 96¼ x 199½ in. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1887, 87.25. 

What these artists and their works proved then, and continue to show today, is that horse paintings (and sculptures) speak to our primal connection to these magnificent animals and the culture around them. Looking at images of horses also offers a familiar and timeless experience. Consider the Gene Autry lyrics that convey that familiar feeling:

Frank Tenney Johnson (1874 - 1939), Cowboys Roping the Bear, oil on canvas laid on board, 26¼ x 36¼ inches

Among the artists Claggett/Rey Gallery represents is Robert Lougheed, who often depicted the equine form. “Those who knew painter Robert Lougheed were savvy of his profound dedication to his art and his love of the horse,” says Claggett/Rey Gallery owner Maggie DeDecker. “He believed that to paint outdoors was the only way to capture the refraction of light as it affected every element of the subject or environment being painted. One of his favorite subjects to paint in that natural light was the horse. His friend and fellow artist John Clymer once quoted, ‘Don’t go painting with Bob unless you like to paint horses. We painted horses, front view, side view, three-quarters and back, in sunshine, in rain, standing in the snow and once even in a hailstorm.’ If there was ever an artist as dedicated to their subject and artistic talents as Lougheed I would be pleasantly surprised. His portfolio is proof of his lifelong pursuit to capture and perfect the beauty of his favored subject, and Claggett/Rey Gallery is honored to be the humble custodians of a broad collection of Lougheed’s work.”

Top: Claggett/Rey Gallery, Portrait of a Team Partner, oil, 12 x 16 in., by Robert Lougheed (1910-1982).  Claggett/Rey Gallery, Fairfield Hounds, oil, 20 x 26 in., by Robert Lougheed (1910-1982).  Center: Claggett/Rey Gallery, Louis & Tintin in Chadrat, France, oil, 12 x 24 in., by Robert Lougheed (1910-1982). Cheryl Koen, Dreaming of a White Christmas, oil on canvas, 12 x 16 in.  Bottom: Cheryl Koen, Compadres, oil on linen, oil on linen, 18 x 24 in.  Maia Chavez Larkin, Riders in the Sage, oil and ink on canvas, 24 x 36 in.

Maia Chavez Larkin’s inspiration rides the line between the Old West of her childhood dreams and the contemporary, living West that her hardworking subjects inhabit today. “I have the privilege of working with a horse ranch in the wild northwest corner of Colorado for my contemporary inspiration,” she says. “The rest comes from the stories that my mother read to me in the cabin on our ranch in southern Colorado when I was a child, and the tales of my late father’s childhood that spanned the Dust Bowl days between New Mexico and Colorado. As an erstwhile illustrator, I have developed a deliberately illustrative style that combined ink and oil on canvas for a more durable take on the Western illustrations of yore.”

Top: Maia Chavez Larkin, Ride ‘Em In, oil and ink on canvas, 36 x 24 in. Maia Chavez Larkin, Sky Puncher, oil and ink on canvas, 36 x 24 in. Legacy Gallery, Treading Water, oil on linen, 30 x 40 in. by Bill Anton.  Bottom: Legacy Gallery, Commander, bronze, ed. of 30, 39 x 20 x 26 in., by Scott Rogers. Legacy Gallery, Nighthawks, charcoal, 48 x 54 in., by Rachel Brownlee. Kadra Nevitt, Cresting, pastel, 27 x 39 in.

Cyndi Hall, general manager of Legacy Gallery, says, “The horse has always held a central place in Western art because it is inseparable from the story of the American West itself. Long before highways and engines, the horse represented movement, survival, work and partnership. It carried people across vast distances, worked cattle, explored unknown country, and became one of the most enduring symbols of freedom and resilience in the Western landscape. For artists, the horse presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Its anatomy, power and motion require real understanding to portray well. A convincing horse cannot be painted from imagination alone; it demands observation, respect for form, and sensitivity to movement. When done well, the horse becomes far more than a subject—it becomes the emotional center of a painting.”

Kadra Nevitt, Neon Nights, pastel, 24 x 13 in. 

Among the highly skilled artists represented by Legacy Gallery who work with horses as their subjects are Bill Anton, Rachel Brownlee and Scott Rogers, among others.

Top: Altamira Fine Art, Moonlight Tracker, acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 in., by Rocky Hawkins. Altamira Fine Art, Visionary, oil on panel, 48 x 60 in., by Kenneth Peloke.  Bottom: Altamira Fine Art, Magnetic, glass and steel, 18 x 36 x 8 in., by Stephanie Revennaugh. Phippen Museum, Trail Side Conversation, oil, 20 x 13 in., by Andrew James. 

Every year, the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona, hosts the Hold Your Horses! Invitational Exhibition & Sale, a celebration of the spirit, power and beauty of the horse in Western art. Held annually, this exhibit and sale brings together talented artists who capture the essence of these magnificent animals in a variety of styles and mediums. Each artwork reflects the artists’ deep admiration for the horse, often drawing inspiration from personal experiences, historical narratives and the role of these animals in Western heritage. Whether depicting a working ranch horse, a wild mustang or a quiet moment between rider and horse, every piece tells a unique story. “For collectors, authenticity and emotional connection are key when purchasing Western horse art. Collectors look for artwork that speaks to them—pieces that evoke an emotion or memory,” the museum notes. This year’s show takes place July 25 to September 27.

 Phippen Museum, Headed to Camp, oil, 11 x 14 in., by Andrew James. Phippen Museum, Among the Cottonwoods, oil, 12 x 16 in., by Andrew James.

“For the cowboy, the horse was the very center of their world and a trusted partner in a life’s legacy. Whether carrying a mountain man through the high Rockies, a pioneer family toward a new horizon, or a Native American warrior across the plains, these animals were the heartbeat of survival,” says Colorado-based artist Gregory Mayse. “I paint to honor this vital relationship. Through realism, I capture the weight of that connection, ensuring we never forget the animals that didn’t just carry riders, but carried the very spirit of the West.”

Top: Gregory Mayse, Common Ground, oil on linen, 12 x 16 in. Teresa Lynn Johnson, Power Play, oil on linen, 16 x 20 in  Bottom: Teresa Lynn Johnson, Wild and Free Come with Me, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in. Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Hillside, oil, 24 x 30 in., by Howard Post. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, The New Remuda, oil, 48 x 36 in., by Howard Post.

The artwork of Howard Post, represented by Maxwell Alexander Gallery, is rooted in a deep appreciation for the American Southwest, shaped through lived experience. His paintings distill the horse and desert into their essential forms, using flattened planes of color, silhouetted mesas, and the dramatic contrast of light and shadow to create powerful compositions. Rather than documenting a place, Post seeks to interpret it by capturing the stillness of open land, the solitude of wild horses and the timeless geometry of the terrain.

Teresa Lynn Johnson, Babe, oil on canvas, 12 x 24 in. Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Three Mustangs, oil, 18 x 36 in., by Howard Post. 

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is based in Oklahoma City and hosts one of the top Western art events in the country, the Prix de West. “At the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, we’ve long recognized that the horse is central to the story of the American West,” says Seth Spillman, chief marketing officer. “For collectors, the most compelling works are those that go beyond anatomy to convey the horse’s intelligence, power and partnership with people. Look for artists with a deep understanding of equine movement and a consistent body of work in the genre. Those are the pieces that hold both artistic and historical significance over time.”

Clockwise from top left: Maxwell Alexander Gallery, Sortin’ the Mares, oil, 30 x 40 in., by Howard Post; National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Crossdraw Trucha, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., by Sean Michael Chavez; National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Full of Fight, oil on linen, 30 x 40 in., by Abigail Gutting.  

Based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Gallery Wild has always been about wildlife and animal art. So it comes as no surprise that the gallery represents a number of highly skilled artists working in the equine genre. Among these artists are Carrie Penley, Julie T. Chapman and Nealy Riley, each of whom have new paintings depicting horses in three totally distinct styles. Gallery Wild is owned and operated by wildlife painter, Carrie Wild, and aims to “inspire collectors and impassion others to help protect wildlife and wild places for future generations through the acquisition and enjoyment of fine art.”

Top: Gallery Wild, Setting the Rope, mixed media, 30 x 30 in., by Julie T. Chapman; Gallery Wild, Pathfinders, oil on panel, 30 x 60 in., by Nealy Riley. Bottom: Gallery Wild, Years in the Making, mixed media on canvas, 48 x 60 in., by Carrie Penley; Jim E. Miller, WIP Alley Race, acrylic, 12 x 16 in. 

Acrylic painter Jim E. Miller describes the story behind two recent paintings, Alley Race and Retired from Rodeo: “The horses running, as well as the three at rest, were from photos I took while visiting a California horse sanctuary. I got to meet and hangout with these gals who were former rodeo athletes…These mares were let out of their stalls midday and would race down the alleyway to the large open arena to play and stretch their legs. After running about, they would calm down, get brushed and pampered by the ranch workers. The first piece is a work-in-progress study titled Alley Race. It portrays their daily rush down the alley leading to the ‘playground.’ The second piece, titled Retired from Rodeo, captures three mares at rest, sunning on a perfect Southern California day.”

Jim E. Miller, Study - Retired From Rodeo, acrylic, 12 x 16 in.; Amber Rae Scally, Solitary Bliss, charcoal on panel, 16 x 20 in.

“There is something in the human spirit that is drawn to horses,” says Montana-based artist Amber Rae Scally. “They communicate without words in a way I relate to. A subtle glance back, that flick of the tail, the turn of an ear all send a message: ‘I see you, I hear you.’ When I work on a drawing, I feel I am engaging with the animal. Through every curve and detail I get to know them. Together, we have a silent conversation. They draw me in again and again.”