The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane (1858) is a painting by American artist John Quidor, depicting a scene from Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The painting is one of several by the artist based on scenes from Irving's written works about Dutch New York, including such paintings as "Ichabod Crane Flying from the Headless Horseman" (1828) and "The Return of Rip Van Winkle" (1849). Quidor first exhibited the picture at the National Academy of Design in New York City. It is currently displayed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in
Ichabod Crane arms and legs, hands that dangled a mile out of his sleeves, feet that might have served for shovels, and his whole frame most loosely hung together. His head was small, and flat at top, with huge ears, large green glassy eyes and a long snipe nose, so that it looked like a weather-cock perched upon his spindle neck, to tell which way the wind blew.' According to Irving, Ichabod looks like a goofy, old scarecrow who has escaped the cornfield. Ichabod Crane is a school teacher with very little money, and as a result, the ladies of the town