Het temmen van een paard 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard created this pencil drawing, Het temmen van een paard, or The Taming of a Horse, in the late 18th or early 19th century. During this time, the Netherlands was undergoing significant social and political change, influenced by Enlightenment ideals and later the Napoleonic era. The drawing depicts a scene of man versus animal, which can be interpreted on multiple levels. At face value, it’s about control and domination. The young man astride the horse and the other holding a whip are figures of authority. But look at the horse – it’s not just passively accepting its fate. It’s bucking, resisting. Consider the emotional landscape of this drawing. Is there fear, excitement, or perhaps a sense of pity for the animal? Think about the dynamic between the figures—do they represent a specific social class or a broader commentary on power structures? In a time of revolutionary ideas, this image resonates with the tensions between freedom and constraint. The drawing invites us to reflect on what it means to tame, to be tamed, and the inherent conflicts within those roles.