Ontwerp voor een ruiterstandbeeld 1783 - 1850

Louis Moritz created this sketch for an equestrian statue, now held at the Rijksmuseum. The rider, confidently mounted, tramples over cannons—symbols of military might. This motif, the triumphant rider, echoes through history, resonating with ancient Roman equestrian statues, where emperors asserted their dominion. Consider Marcus Aurelius, his horse prancing over vanquished foes, an image etched in our collective memory. Yet, here, the cannons introduce a modern twist. They speak of a shift in warfare, a new kind of power being asserted. The act of trampling isn’t merely physical; it's psychological. It engages primal emotions. The collective subconscious recognizes the dominance, stirring feelings of awe and submission. It's a symbolic act of conquest, a recurring trope in the theater of power. This image, though a sketch, taps into deep-seated emotions, reminding us of humanity's ongoing dance with power, dominance, and the cyclical nature of history itself.