Twee aangespannen paarden 1893

This is a charcoal sketch by George Hendrik Breitner, titled "Twee aangespannen paarden," or "Two Harnessed Horses," now at the Rijksmuseum. The dominant motif here is the horse—an animal that has held symbolic weight across cultures, representing power, freedom, and vitality. Think of the steeds of antiquity, symbols of war and conquest, such as those ridden by Alexander the Great. In the medieval era, the horse became synonymous with chivalry and nobility, and in the Romantic era, we see the horse in wild landscapes, evoking a sense of untamed nature and freedom. Here, however, Breitner captures horses in harness—an evocative symbol. The harnessing can remind us of how human ambition and collective memory can transform potent symbols like the horse, redirecting their primal energies toward structured ends. The horse, once a symbol of boundless freedom, is here captured in a moment of controlled power, its wildness directed. This image invites us to reflect on how we tame and channel our own energies, and what forces tame us in turn.