Why did Toulouse-Lautrec paint horses?

After breaking both legs as a teenager, Toulouse-Lautrec couldn't ride horses himself. His teacher Rene Princeteau, a sporting artist, used horses to teach him movement and anatomy instead.

Where is this painting displayed?

The work hangs at the Musee Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France. The museum in his hometown holds the world's largest collection of his work.

How old was Toulouse-Lautrec when he painted this?

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was only fifteen years old when he created this work in 1879. His early paintings were dominated by horse subjects.

Where Is Horse and Rider with a Little Dog? Museum Location

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted the equestrian scene in 1879, when he was just fifteen years old. A horse and rider move through the composition while a small dog accompanies them. The work reflects his early passion for horses, animals he could no longer ride after breaking both legs in childhood accidents.

His first painting teacher was Rene Princeteau, a deaf sporting artist who adored horses. Princeteau used equestrian subjects to teach young Henri how to capture movement in his drawings. The artist's father was a fanatical horseman and racegoer who had hoped his son would follow the same path.

After discovering he had a degenerative bone disease at fourteen, Toulouse-Lautrec channeled his love of horses into painting. This early work shows his natural talent for conveying animal vitality. It's held at the Musee Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France.