An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
The Race Track (Death on a Pale Horse)c. 1896–1908
Albert Pinkham Ryder
Ryder’s subject was inspired by a horse race that took place in New York during 1888. One of the artist’s friends wagered $500 on the race and then died by suicide after the horse lost. Medieval symbolism infuses the composition: death appears as a skeleton on horseback holding a scythe with which he cuts down the living, while a snake—a sign of temptation and evil—slithers in the foreground. An intense man, Ryder worked on the painting for several years and was deeply reluctant to part with it.
Counterclockwise horse racing in the United States was not standardized until the 1920s.
oil on canvas
Framed: 84.5 x 102 x 6.5 cm (33 1/4 x 40 3/16 x 2 9/16 in.); Unframed: 70.5 x 90 cm (27 3/4 x 35 7/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
In the heart of a bustling New York in 1888, the air thick with anticipation and the scent of sweat and hope, a horse race unfurled before an eager crowd. Among them was one of Ryder’s dearest friends, a man who felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. As the race approached, with its high stakes and furious energy, he placed a bold wager of $500, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and desperation. But as the final fateful moments unfolded, the horse faltered, losing its chance at victory.
In the dim light of his quiet room, consumed by despair, that friend succumbed to his inner demons, leaving behind a haunting void. Ryder was thrust into a realm of sorrow as he grappled with the implications of that loss. He channeled his grief into his art, pouring years of labor and emotion into a single canvas, shaping an eternal tribute sprinkled with medieval symbolism.
In his creation, death emerged from the shadows. A skeletal figure rode atop a ghostly horse, wielding a scythe—a chilling reminder of mortality, cutting down all that lives. At the forefront, a snake slithered with deceptive grace, representing temptation and the insidious nature of evil that leads one astray. Each brushstroke became an avenue for Ryder’s introspection, marking a profound engagement with life’s fragility and the clandestine battles every soul fights.
Ryder worked tirelessly, year after year, as if each added detail could somehow ward off the heavy melancholy that cloaked him. Never did he wish to part with this painting; it was a piece of himself, a reflection of a friendship forged in joy but now steeped in heartache. The canvas whispered stories only he could truly understand, echoing a moment in time that held such weight—one where ambition met its tragic end.
In this way, Ryder transformed personal sorrow into a poignant narrative, allowing the specter of his lost friend to linger eternally in the strokes of his masterful work, a reminder of the delicate dance between hope and despair.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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