The Long Wait

This charming watercolour by Louis-Eugène Le Roux depicts a coachman and his horse resting in the snow. A coachman was a professional driver of horse-drawn carriages, often employed by wealthy individuals or families. They were responsible for the care of the horses and the maintenance of the carriage, in addition to their driving duties. Their attire, particularly the overcoat, reflect their profession and the era, with heavy, stiff wool coats providing warmth for outdoor work.

Both the horse and the coachman have their heads bowed, implying that the intense iciness of the Winter scene is causing both to shrink into themselves to preserve the last morsels of heat. The scene is highly atmospheric, with the dark palette of browns and blacks contrasting with the vivid white of the snow scattered across the ground and slowly piling up on the carriage. Barren trees recede into the background of the watercolour, becoming more and more vague as they do so - this, alongside some blurred structures in the background, indicates the presence of fog. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this work, aside from its haunting ambience, is the high level of detail of the snow. The powdery texture is almost tangible, and the way it layers on the coachman, horse, and the carriage is exquisite.