Achterlijf van een paard 1880 - 1882

George Hendrik Breitner created this sketch of a horse's hindquarters with pencil on paper. Here we see more than just a depiction of an animal; the horse, throughout history, has symbolized power, virility, and untamed energy. Consider the horse in ancient Greek sculpture, or the steeds of the Apocalypse in religious art. This motif traverses time, a symbol laden with potency. In many cultures the horse is also a symbol of movement and freedom, bearing its rider toward a goal, but also a symbol of death, bearing its rider to the underworld. This drawing's focus on the horse’s rear shifts the typical heroic representation. Is Breitner subtly questioning traditional ideals? Perhaps, the collective memory of the horse is not just of glory, but also of labor, burden, and the weight of the world—a subconscious nod to the less celebrated aspects of existence. This image, rendered with such immediacy, stirs primal emotions of power and vulnerability. It serves as a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of symbols, ever-evolving, ever-present in our cultural consciousness.