Headless Horseman Four Horsemen, Figura Obscura

Description

THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
One of the most enduring and instantly recognizable symbols of the Halloween season is that of Òan apparition of a figure on horseback without a head.Ó We are, of course, referring to none other than the Headless Horseman, who is the subject of Four Horsemen StudiosÕ latest Figura Obscura release.
The character of the Headless Horseman was first found in a collection of essays and short stories titled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Written by American author, Washington Irving, the story was first published in 1819 and it remains an early example of American literature that is still with us, and still quite popular, today. This popularity is in no doubt thanks to the iconic character of the Headless Horseman, a character who actually only appears in a few pages of the short tale. Still, despite this brief appearance, or maybe because of it, the image of a cloaked rider atop a Òblack horseÓ has been one that has captured the imagination of fans for over two centuries.
In the story titled The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, we visit a settlement called Greensburg, which is more commonly known as Tarry Town. In this area there can be found a Òsequestered glenÓ known as Sleepy Hollow. A haunted place said to have been Òbewitched by a High German Doctor during the early days of the settlementÓ, rumors still swirl of this strange glen. Visitors are said to have visions and to fall into trances as they hear music and voices on the air. There are also many local tales of haunts and strange happenings that the residents of Tarry Town are only too happy to relate.
This tale goes on to tell that the Òdominant spirit that haunts this enchanted regionÓ is, indeed, this aforementioned Headless Horseman. Said to be a Hessian trooper whose head was separated from his body thanks to a cannonball during a battle of the Revolutionary War, the Horseman now rides forth each night looking for his lost head. Unlucky travelers who find themselves on the road late at night may encounter this dread apparition and his mighty steed, and woe to anyone who dares to stand in the way of the Headless HorsemanÕs nightly ride.
The bulk of this story is actually focused on a lanky schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane and his quest to woo the lovely Katrina Van Tassel. His chief competition in this pursuit is Abraham Brunt, the rowdy local hero more commonly called Brom Bones. The doings of these three characters are truly the focus of this short story, yet if you ask anyone to name a character from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, they almost certainly reply with The Headless Horseman.