Horsemen

The horse has always occupied a significant place in the life of Moroccan artist Hassan El-Glaoui. His father owned stables, and El-Glaoui had his first horse when he was nine. Royal corteges with mounted cavalry in Marrakesh were also part of his childhood memories. In numerous paintings, including The Horsemen, el-Glaoui would make the animal a predominant pictorial motif. To illustrate a dynamic cavalcade scene, the painter used a palette of warm hues, such as ochre, and applied bright orange touches, alluding to the colors of Morocco. In the center of the image is a group of horsemen in their traditional Moroccan white garment, the djellaba. In The Horsemen, El-Glaoui revealed his deep attachment to the customs of his country, depicting a specific event that could be either a Harka (an expedition with military, political, or tax-collecting goals, often to punish insurgents) or a tbourida (Moroccan equestrian performance). The Arab world and culture transformed the cavalry into a comprehensive discipline known as furusiyya, highlighting the significance of horses in social life since the third century.