Ploeg met het achterlijf van een paard 1884 - 1886

George Hendrik Breitner rendered this sketch of a plough with the hindquarters of a horse. The horse, a symbol of strength and vitality, has been intertwined with agriculture since antiquity. The image of the horse pulling a plough reminds us of the deep-seated connection between man and beast, labor and the land. The motif of the horse appears across cultures and eras, from the powerful steeds of ancient Greek sculpture to the workhorses in medieval tapestries, and even to the noble animals depicted in Renaissance paintings. Its presence in Breitner's sketch evokes a sense of timelessness. Like the recurring dream that Freud described as a manifestation of repressed desires, the image of the horse here speaks to the primal human need to cultivate and control the natural world. This act of cultivation also evokes deep emotional states and speaks to the collective memory of toil, survival, and progress. As you gaze upon this sketch, consider how this powerful symbol resonates through the ages, evolving and adapting, yet forever tethered to its fundamental roots.