Wed-ren op den 6.en September 1844 nabij Zandvoort 1844

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this artwork of the horse races near Zandvoort on the 6th of September 1844, using pen and brush in grey. The composition of the pen and brush artwork is defined by a receding horizon line and the subtle tonal variations that together evoke the atmosphere of a breezy day at the races. Note how the artist uses the density of the crowd in the foreground to draw the eye toward the open space of the racetrack, where the action unfolds. The linear precision in rendering the architectural elements of the viewing stands and the judge’s tower contrast with the fluid lines depicting the movement of the horses. The artist captures not just a sporting event, but also a carefully structured social tableau. The flags above the stands flutter, reinforcing a sense of dynamic societal energies at play. This simple scene offers insight into the codes and structures of 19th-century social life.