Accession Number
1954/1.576

Title
Le Cheval

Artist(s)
Jacques Villon

Artist Nationality
French (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1921

Medium & Support
etching on paper

Dimensions
3 1/8 in x 5 1/8 in (7.9 cm x 13 cm);3 1/8 in x 5 1/8 in (7.9 cm x 13 cm);19 1/4 in x 14 1/4 in (48.9 cm x 36.2 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
This print, though originally created in 1921, was not published until 1947 when it was included in the an edition of a treatise by Albert Gleizes, entitled Du Cubisme. This essay was written by Gleizes in order to explain the goals and concepts of the Cubist style. Gleizes' text was originally published in 1912, but the 1947 edition included works, such as this print by Jacques Villon, of various Cubist artists in order to illustrate the aesthetic of the movement and the motivations descibed by Gleizes. Le Cheval shows the Cubists' interest in breaking compositions down to basic geometric shapes and lines.

Physical Description
This print is composed of various geometric shapes that resemble a horse in an abstract way. The horizontal composition consists of several overlapping geometric shapes in striated grey, black and checked pattern.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Equus caballus (species)
abstraction
geometric patterns
geometric shape
modern and contemporary art
treatises