The Headless Horseman

The Headless Horseman sits upon his black horse holding a jack-o-lantern, a twisted tree next to him, the legendary tree from which the British spy master John Andre was hung. This is the point in the story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving, where the Headless Horseman starts his chase of Ichabod Crane.

From the Artist: The Headless Horseman is a ghost of folklore that can be found in many parts of Europe and America. Usually, the specter is carrying his head in the saddle, but the most famous version is that of Sleep Hollow, made popular by the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. This version of the Headless Horseman carries a jack-o-lantern (or maybe a pumpkin). The reason for this is that the story heavily implies that the horseman of the story is the character Brom Bones in costume, who is running his run his rival for the affections of a woman, Ichabod Crane, out of town. Brom is using the jack-o-lantern in the dark to look like he is carrying a disembodied head.

One of the relevant features of the story is Andre's Tree. It's the location in the story where the Headless Horseman begins to chase Ichabod. The tree was supposed to be where Major John Andre, the British spy master, was hanged (In actual history, Andre was hanged on the opposite side of the Hudson river from Sleepy Hollow in Tappan). This tree actually makes an appearance in the Tim Burton movie from the 90s, though it is not named. I really wanted to make it a feature of my artwork, so I have it almost as much the subject of this work as the ghoulish horseman.

In the story, the chase actually begins close to midnight, but I set this in the evening as just an artistic decision to better light the scene.

 
Thanks for looking,
Daniel

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This print (fulfilled by Printful) has a partly glossy, partly matte finish and it'll add a touch of sophistication to any room.

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Considerations:
• Prints may seem a bit darker than what you see on the screen as the print is not illuminated the way a computer monitor is.
• Depending on the size selected, some cropping may occur.
• The print is unframed and will be shipped rolled in a tube.
• Because the print is created on demand, I do not accept returns; however, if there is a problem with your order, please contact me and I will work with you to remedy any issues.