Paard van achteren gezien 1824

Curator: Standing here at the Rijksmuseum, we have before us Johannes Mock’s etching, “Paard van achteren gezien," dating back to 1824. It depicts a horse...from behind. Editor: Well, that's one way to put it. Immediately, I'm struck by this...stolidness. The sheer heft of the animal, the way it anchors itself to the earth in this almost aggressively mundane scene. Curator: It’s certainly unglamorous, isn’t it? Mock's realism doesn't shy away from the animal’s physicality. The materials – the paper, the ink, the etching tools – serve to deliver a very tangible depiction of labor and life. Editor: Labor indeed! You can almost feel the pull of those muscles, the weight carried by those hooves. It feels less about idealizing the horse, and more about showing its utility, it’s function. Look how he rendered those flanks and haunches! Curator: And that grazing companion in the background offers a serene, pastoral balance. The landscape elements are quite engaging in a muted, Northern sort of way. But it’s also tinged with something melancholy... perhaps just the browns and creams dominating the picture Editor: That's a consequence of the printmaking, of course—economy. But within the apparent simplicity of the landscape style, Mock sneaks in a complex study of form and shadow, doesn’t he? This wasn’t about romanticizing the equine; it’s about recording an element of everyday life and the work associated with rural activity. It serves as social documentation. Curator: Exactly. And while we may never truly know Mock's intent, that's the delicious part of engaging with a work like this isn't it? Projecting ourselves, seeing new layers with each look. It becomes a dance. Editor: Precisely! Seeing that even such ordinary subject matter gives us something to chew on, some insight into the material conditions of the 19th century. The print holds a mirror up to more than just a horse.