The Small Horse

Artist Raymond Duchamp-Villon (French, 1876-1918)

Place of OriginParis, France

DatePlaster version 1914, this cast 1950’s

DimensionsH: 17 1/4 in. (43.8 cm); W: 13 3/16 in. (33.5 cm); Depth: 15 3/16 in. (39.1 cm)

MediumCast bronze

ClassificationSculpture

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1996.18

Not on View

Label TextBrother to artists Jacques Villon and Marcel Duchamp, Raymond Duchamp-Villon became well known for his work advancing modernist sculpture through the expression of the inner energy of forms. Exhibiting alongside his brothers at the landmark avant-garde Armory Show of 1913 in New York, Duchamp-Villon worked during a critical moment in the development of modern art. The horse is an exemplary subject of the changing times of the early 20th century in many ways. Historically, the horse has been pictured in equestrian portraits of military leaders or monarchs as a sign of harnessing power and maintaining control. Before the achievements of industrialization, the horse was essential for transportation and as a source of labor. As a medic in a French cavalry regiment, Duchamp-Villon observed the anachronistic horse and advanced technology working side by side in World War I (1914–18), the last war where the horse would play so large a role. For The Small Horse, body parts become mechanical parts, the joints showing the horse’s—and simultaneously an engine’s—potential for powerful motion.Published Referencescf. Gleizes, Albert, Du cubisme et des moyens de le comprendre, Paris, 1920, repr. (plaster).

cf. Pach, Walter, Raymond Duchamp-Villon Sculpteur: 1876-1918, Paris, 1924, pp. 12, 14-15, repr. pp. 75, 77, 79 (plaster)

cf. Pach Walter, The Masters of Modern Art, B.W. Busch, New York, 1924, pp. 86, 111-112, repr. pl. 29 (bronze).

cf. The John Quinn Collection, American Art Association, Inc., 1927, p. 236, no. 700 (plaster).

cf. Zervos, Christian, "Raymond Duchamp-Villon", Cahiers D'Art, vol. 6, Paris, 1931, repr. p. 227 (plaster)

cf. Giedeon-Welker, Carola, "New Roads in modern Sculpture", TRANSITION, no. 23, July 1935, p. 199, repr. p. 204 (plaster). cf. Giedeon-Welker, Carola, Moderne Plastik, Zurich, 1937 repr. p. 52 (plaster).

cf. Pach, Walter, Queer Thing, painting : Forty Years in the World of Art, New York, 1938, pp. 144-146.

cf. Guggenheim, peggy, Art of This Century, 1942, repr. p. 65 (Guggenheim bronze).

cf. Cabanne, Pierre, L'epopee du cubisme, Paris 1942, repr. (bronze).

cf. Valentiner, W.P. Orgins of Modern Sculpture, New Yrok, 1946, p. 132, repr. p. 120 (bronze).

cf. Ritchie, A.C., Sculpture of teh Twentith Century, New York, 1952, pp. 27-28 (bronze, Amsterdam).

cf. Villon, Jaques, "Raymond Duchamp-Villon", Les Sculpturs celebres, Paris, 1954, p. 307

cf. Guggenheim Museum, Jacques Villon, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Marcel Suchamp, New York, 1957 (Kaufmann bronze).

cf. Golding, John, Cubism: A History and an Analysis, New York, 1959, no. 71 (large bronze).

cf. Giedion-Welcker, Carola, "Verankerung und Vorstoss bei Raymond Duchamp-Villon", WERK, April 1964, pp. 147, 151-152.

cf. Michelson, Annette, "Swiss Sculptors at teh Rodin Museum, Duchamp-Villon at teh Louis Carre Galarie", Art International, vol 7, VII/7, Sept. 25, 1963, pp. 87-93, repr. p. 93 (large bronze). cf. Hunter, Sam, "The Maremont Collection", Art International, vol. V, 5-6, June-August 1961 (pp. 34-41, 45), repr. p. 35 (bronze).

cf. Gindertael, R.V., "L'oeuvre majeure de Duchamp-Villon", XXe Siecle, no. 23, May 1964, p. 44.

cf. Duchamp-Villon, Le Cheval majeur, Galiere Louis Carre, Paris 1966.

cf. Elsen, Albert, "The Sculpture of Duchamp-Villon", Artfourm, vol. 6, no. 2, Oct. 1967, pp. 19, 22-25(plaster, large bronze).

Hamilton, George Heard and William C. Agee, Raymond Duchamp-Villon 1876-1918, Walker and Company, New York, 1967, pp. 23-24, 86-103, no. 25.6

cf. Robbins, Daniel, "Duchamp-Villon at Knoedler's", Burlington Magazine, vol. 130, Jamuary 1968, (pp.38-42), p. 41, repr. fig. 51-54 (large bronze).

cf. Elsen, Albert, "Raymond-Villon", Burlington Magazine, vol. 111, no. 797, August 1969, pp. 523-524.

cf. Cooper, Douglas, The Cubist Epoch, London 1970, pl. 289 (Kaufmann bronze).

cf. Hochfield, Sylvia, "The Problem of Sculptural Reproduction", Art News, Vol. 73, November 1974, p. 24 (large bronze).

cf. Lerner, Abram, Selected Paintings and Sculpture from teh Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1974, no. 40.

cf. Merillat, Herbert Christian, Modern Sculpture: The New Old Masters, New York, Dodd, Mead & Co., 1974, p. 49

cf. Cabanne, Pierre, The Brothers Duchamp. Jacques Villon, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Marcel Duchamp, New York Graphic Society, Boston, 1975 (bronze).

cf. Zilcer, Judith, "Raymond Duchamp-Villon: Pionerr of Modern Sculpture", Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin, vol. 76, no. 330, fall 1980, pp. 15-17.

cf. Alley, Ronald, The Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery London, 1981 (Tate Bronze)

cf. Rudenstine, Angelica Zander, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, New York, 1985, pp. 270-281 (Guggenheim bronze).

Sotheby's, 27 Works from teh Morton G. Neumann Family Collection, New York, Nov. 17, 1998, p. 16.

Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, The Great War: Art on the Frontline, Jul. 25-Oct. 19, 2014.