The Riders (or Figures on Horseback)
Painting on panel or paperboard • Maurice Prendergast (1858–1924)
Style & Movement
American Post-Impressionism / The Eight (Ashcan School associate)
Medium & Technique
Oil or tempera on panel; executed with a mosaic-like technique using dabs of color and thick impasto
Creation Period
circa 1910-1915
Dimensions & Format
Estimated 10 x 14 inches; horizontal landscape format
Subject Description
A group of figures on horseback in a landscape, rendered with flattened perspective. The composition emphasizes rhythmic patterns over realistic anatomy, typical of Prendergast’s late 'mosaic' style where figures become decorative elements within the environment.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; the image shows significant surface darkening and what appears to be a vertical fracture or deep scratch on the left side, with visible grime accumulation.
Estimated Market Value
$60,000 - $120,000 (dependent on authentication and cleaning)
Auction Estimate
$50,000 - $80,000
Provenance History
The signature 'Prendergast' is visible in the upper left corner. Likely passed through various private American collections; such works were often handled by the Kraushaar Galleries in New York.
Art Historical Significance
Highly significant as a representative of the transition in American art toward modernism. Prendergast was one of the few American artists of his era to fully embrace the decorative theories of the French Nabis and the Fauves.
Notable Features
Features the distinctive signature in the upper left corner rather than the bottom, and displays the artist's signature 'mosaic' brushwork where dabs of color are used to build forms.
Condition Issues
Possible surface abrasion/scratch in the left quadrant; yellowed varnish or surface dirt obscuring the original vibrancy of the palette; potential structural instability if on paperboard.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning by a qualified conservator to remove surface grime; stabilization of the support; archival framing with UV-protective museum glass.