Vrouw te paard 1722 - 1784

Editor: We're looking at Simon Fokke's "Vrouw te paard," likely created sometime between 1722 and 1784. It’s an engraving, a pen drawing depicting a woman on horseback in a rather elaborate landscape. There's a certain fairytale quality to it, I think. What sort of stories does it conjure up for you? Curator: Oh, it’s deliciously theatrical, isn't it? This piece vibrates with the rococo spirit - all swirling lines and playful elegance. Look how the artist uses light and shadow, not for realism, but to create drama! It makes me imagine it’s a stage set for some long-lost opera. The woman, almost floating on that rearing horse, becomes this ambiguous protagonist – where do you think she’s going? Editor: Perhaps escaping something, or embarking on a grand adventure? Is the landscape intended to represent somewhere specific? Curator: That’s the enchantment of it: the place exists as a projection, as the scene for our own daydreams! Note the blurry trees and the building over on the left. And did you notice how carefully everything is arranged, like players on a stage awaiting their cues? If anything it seems more allegorical than literal. I wonder who "Finette Cendron" actually was! Editor: That is something that is intriguing... I almost missed the figures stage right. I was too captured by the rider. So, much to contemplate there... What did you discover exploring the piece in more detail? Curator: I fell deeper into its little fantasies! And perhaps realized that even the most decorative of forms can hint at more profound explorations of human aspiration... how about you? Editor: It really highlighted for me the artistry behind what I initially perceived as simply decorative, the layers beneath the surface really give it depth.