Twee paarden bij de hoefsmid 1814 - 1845

George Jooss created this small etching of horses at a farrier's, sometime in the early 19th century. The composition, dominated by the large forms of two horses, evokes a sense of the everyday, yet is rendered with a striking formal precision. The artist's meticulous use of line is palpable. Observe how each stroke defines the contours of the horses, capturing their musculature and mass. The lines are not merely descriptive; they create a spatial depth, with finer hatching suggesting shadows and volume. The eye is drawn to the interplay between the solid forms of the animals and the delicate network of lines that articulate the setting. This etching also hints at the social and economic context of its time. Horses were central to both agricultural and military life, and Jooss positions them at the nexus of labor and utility. Yet, within this functional setting, the artist captures the inherent beauty of form and the graphic quality of light and shade. The scene thus becomes an exploration of visual texture.