Icelandic horses by Thorgrimur Einarsson

Thorgrimur is an Icelandic artist from Reykjavík. Whenever possible, he prefers to work from direct observation, believing it to be the optimum way of creating an authentic look.

Thorgrimur expresses his subject in what he likes to describe as painterly realism. Maintaining an emphasis on “accurate” drawing, values and color, he aspires to capture his subject as honestly as possible while articulating its emotional impact. He works exclusively with oil paint and linen canvas.

Passionate about Icelandic landscapes and nature, Thor dedicates part of creation to wild animals and one of his favorite themes is horses.

The Icelandic horse is a token of the Icelandic nation and its pride and joy, that has been bred in its pure form for over one thousand years. Very special the Icelandic horse is the only breed in the world that can perform five gaits, whereas other breeds can only perform three or four.

The beautiful Icelandic horse comes in over 40 colors and 100 various patterns. Sometimes the horse even changes color throughout its life span. Since the Icelandic parliament passed a law that bans the importation of horses, no other horse breeds are found in Iceland and If an Icelandic horse is brought abroad, it can never return. Currently, there are about 80,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland, versus the human population of 364,260.

"Horses are beautiful, powerful but gentle creatures. The Icelandic horse changes its coat with the seasons to cope with the harsh winters. They look like fluffy furballs in the winter and majestic in the summer. I’ve always been in awe of them standing out in the blizzard, turning their backs to the wind seemingly unfazed by the chaos of life. They have always captured my imagination."

Thorgrimur Einarsson