Théodore Fort (French, 1810–1896) Femmes à cheval pendant leur chasse à courre —
Pair of Watercolours – Ladies on horseback during a hunt. Each signed lower left Image
size: 18 × 23 cm Framed size: 32.5 × 39.5 cm
A charming pair of equestrian hunting scenes by Théodore Fort, depicting elegantly dressed women on horseback during a chasse à courre (French stag or fox hunt). One composition shows a rider on a dark bay horse accompanied by a hunting dog, set in a soft rural landscape. The other captures a dynamic side view of a rider on a spirited, dappled grey mount, executing a lively movement across a field. Executed in delicate watercolour, both works display Fort’s refined draughtsmanship and sensitivity to light, equine anatomy, and 19th-century sporting fashion.
The figures and horses are rendered with precision, yet the atmospheric backgrounds retain a painterly softness, evoking the romanticism of the hunt. Signed in the lower left of each sheet and presented in period gilt frames with mounts. About the Artist: Théodore Fort (1810–1896) was a French painter and watercolourist celebrated for his equestrian and military subjects. He exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1842 onwards and gained a reputation for his accurate yet expressive depictions of horses and riders, often in hunting or cavalry contexts. His works appealed to both French and British collectors during the 19th century, with examples held in public and private collections. This pair offers a rare opportunity to acquire two companion pieces by an accomplished 19th-century French sporting artist, perfect for collectors of equestrian art and lovers of the hunt.
