Twee schetsen van trekpaarden 1834 - 1893

"Twee schetsen van trekpaarden" is a pencil drawing on paper by Willem Anthonie van Deventer, likely from the mid-19th century. During this period, the Netherlands saw the rise of industrialization, increasing the need for strong working animals. Van Deventer, working in this changing world, creates images of working horses. These sketches, though simple, offer a glimpse into the lives of these animals, whose labor was essential to the economic and social structures of the time. Look closely, and you might imagine the sounds of the horses, the creaking of the carts, and the shouts of drivers - capturing the essence of labor in a pre-industrial world. The way van Deventer depicts these animals, not as majestic creatures but as workers, is a reflection of their societal role and the changing landscape of labor during his time. Van Deventer’s work opens a window into a past, prompting us to reflect on how we value labor, both animal and human, in our contemporary world.