JAROSLAV VĚŠÍN (1859 - 1915) RIDING IN WINTERTIME 1896/Oil on canvas/ Signed lower right "Jaroslav Věšín - Mnch - 1896". This work dates from the period when Jaroslav Věšín was living between Slovakia and Munich. He sought inspiration in village motifs based on his own authentic experiences, bringing it to life in the form of a chariot race amongst the snow drifts in the village. The painting brings together several elements that Věšín focused on with relish – realistic depictions of the countryside, a strong sense for winter landscape painting, and the dynamics of the horse's movement. Both teams are thrilled by the difficult maneuver at full gallop, driving their horses onward and forward as a local sheepdog joins the race. In this case, the dynamics of the work are unusually suggestive, presenting the viewer with an exceptionally exciting situation. Born in Vrané, Jaroslav Věšín spent most of his career in Bulgaria, where he became a court painter to Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and the first painting instructor at the State Drawing School (now the National Academy of Arts) in Sophia. 61 x 91 cm