Man op een paard in galop before 1889

This photograph of a man on horseback, found within a book, was made by Seligmüller at an unknown date. The image, set against a backdrop of urban architecture, freezes a moment of equestrian motion, capturing the essence of both control and freedom. This artwork is interesting because of what it suggests about class, labor, and identity. Historically, horsemanship has been associated with the elite, serving both practical and symbolic functions. Horses were instruments of labor and modes of transportation, but also status symbols, used in displays of power and leisure. The photograph invites a meditation on our relationship with animals, and the layered meanings we attach to them. Is the relationship one of respect, domination, or something else entirely? Consider how this image, frozen in time, makes us contemplate the dynamics of movement and stillness, while questioning the ways we construct narratives around animals and their roles in our lives.