Geoffroy de Ruillé was a renowned sculptor of equestrian subjects—and a talented horseman himself. Painted studies are visible in the background of this studio view, and a small sculpture of a horse is seen at the left edge. Clearly easier than having a horse and rider model for hours in his studio, de Ruillé saddled up a sawhorse, set his cavalryman model atop it, and took a photograph to serve as his reference as his work continued. To modern eyes, there is a marvelous and humorous incongruity between the perfect posture of the rider and the reality of the scene.