Man met zweep bij een paard 1669 - 1717

Dirk Maas created this etching, "Man with whip by a horse," in the Netherlands during the late 17th to early 18th century. The artwork portrays a man with a whip standing next to a horse. During this period, the Dutch Republic was a major center for trade and colonialism, but this wealth was built on the backs of enslaved people. Images of horses, which were a symbol of wealth and power, often glossed over the labor and violence involved in maintaining that status. The horse's rearing posture and the man's controlling whip introduce the themes of dominance and power. The work reflects the social hierarchy and the exploitation inherent in Dutch society during that era. Consider how the seeming simplicity of this image belies the complex network of power, labor, and social hierarchy that was part of everyday life.