Ruiter dravend buiten stadsmuur 1676 - 1742

Georg Philipp Rugendas created this etching of a horseman outside a city wall. Dominating the composition, the horse and rider embody a potent symbol of power and control. Consider the horse, a motif deeply embedded in the iconography of leadership and conquest. From the equestrian statues of Roman emperors to Renaissance portraits of monarchs on horseback, the image of a ruler mounted on a steed has long been associated with authority and triumph. Even in our modern psyche, the horse evokes a sense of freedom and vigor. Think of the "Victory Boogie Woogie" by Piet Mondrian. Though abstract, we find the same rhythmic energy in the composition as in the horse's gallop. Perhaps this is because the horse is a primordial image, resonating with our collective memory of humanity's relationship with nature and power. It is a symbol that persists, transformed yet recognizable across time and media.