Jockeys

"Scene from the Steeplechase: The Fallen Jockey," an 1866 oil-on-canvas painting by Edgar Degas, captures a dynamic moment in a genre painting of a steeplechase race. The artwork vividly portrays the intense action and physicality of jockeys and horses, showcasing Degas’s emerging interest in movement and form, precursors to Impressionism. Degas reworked the piece multiple times, notably in 1880-81 and 1897, demonstrating his ongoing exploration of composition and technique. Originally exhibited at the 1866 Salon in Paris, the painting emphasizes realism and immediacy, qualities also associated with Pastel works, though this piece remains a significant example of his Impressionist pursuits. It is now housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.