Pa. German Plate

Archie Thompson

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a rider on horseback surrounded by decorative elements. The artwork features a central figure riding a horse, depicted in a stylized manner with simple lines and minimalistic details. The rider is holding a whip or crop in one hand. The horse is also simply rendered, with an exaggerated arch of the neck and simplified legs. Surrounding the central image is a circular border with italicized script. Vines and floral motifs embellish the inner circle. This is in the style of folk art, possibly reminiscent of traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fraktur designs.