Throughout the museum you will find various depictions of the farrier in art. Just as the trade itself has spanned time and geography, you will find many periodic and stylistic influences on the canvas. Artists have chosen to display the beautiful: airy depictions of summer days at the blacksmith shop, with children afoot playing under the watchful eye of the metal forger, and detailed views of sinewy muscles skillfully tending to horses with shining coats. They also depict the backbreaking labor that is core to the trade: the dust, the grime, the sweat, and the hard, hard work come through in many pieces. Both presentations of farriery can be true – and both are needed to fully represent the depth of the profession’s work throughout the centuries.