Study of horses 1490

Editor: This drawing, "Study of Horses" by Leonardo da Vinci, was created around 1490 using charcoal. What strikes me is how dynamic and alive the horse feels, even though it's just a study. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The power of this drawing lies in the symbolic weight horses have carried through millennia. Da Vinci understood that. Think of classical equestrian statues – emblems of power, nobility, control. Even unfinished, this "study" taps into that cultural memory. Look at the musculature; he's not just drawing a horse, he's capturing harnessed energy, ambition made flesh. Does the drawing evoke any particular historical moment or archetype for you? Editor: I see what you mean about the power. I hadn't really considered the connection to those statues, but now I do. It's like a preliminary sketch for a monument. Does the incompleteness itself suggest anything about Renaissance ideals? Curator: Incompleteness is a key aspect of cultural memory. The collective story of the West is pieced together from disparate remains and broken lineages; fragments that speak volumes more poignantly than the fully resolved image. This incompleteness underscores process – the constant striving for perfection, a Renaissance ideal indeed. Is there anything that suggests that specifically in this work? Editor: Well, seeing the ghosted lines beneath the more defined contours does create that sense of searching and refinement. It shows his process, just as you mentioned. Curator: Exactly. The sketch beneath the sketch reminds me of half-remembered myth, half-faded tapestries. Editor: I see now how this isn't just about depicting a horse, but tapping into something much bigger. Curator: It is about imbuing the symbol with meaning, a powerful echo from the past resonating even today. I've gained even more from this study! Thank you.