Ruiter groeten elkaar 1676 - 1742

Georg Philipp Rugendas created this small print, depicting two riders greeting each other, sometime between 1666 and 1743. It's a study of social interaction, but within the well-defined hierarchies of its time. The print's visual codes speak to the context of 17th and early 18th-century Europe. We see men on horseback, a symbol of status and power. The greeting itself - a raised hand, a pointed direction - suggests a world where knowing one's place and role was paramount. Rugendas, working in the Holy Roman Empire, was deeply embedded in a culture of military campaigns and courtly life. His depictions of horses and riders weren't just artistic exercises; they reflected the social currency of the time. Note the distant group of horsemen; Rugendas may be hinting at the ever-present backdrop of military conflict. Understanding this work requires delving into the social structures of the period. By consulting historical records, military archives, and studies of court life, we can better understand the intricate web of meaning woven into this seemingly simple image. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.