Rocking horse. England, late 19th century.
Wood, vitreous paste and hair.
Preserves old label.
Measurements: 121 x 152 x 48 cm.
English rocking horse, late 19th century, made of carved and polychrome wood. It is perfectly equipped with saddle and bridle, simulating a real horse.
The rocking horse was born in the 19th century, replacing toy horses with wheels. It had its heyday in late Victorian England at the end of the 19th century. At that time, rocking horses occupied a privileged place in the country houses of the nobility, and were used for children to learn to ride horses.
Around 1900, the industrialisation of toy production began, so that by the middle of the century, wood was finally abandoned in favour of plastic and steel rocking horses.
This exclusive toy also reached the Spanish upper classes, as we can see in the children's portrait of "Pepito Costa y Bonells", painted by Goya in 1813. The child is shown with his favourite toy, a polychrome wooden horse on a wheeled stand.