Plate XLV 18th-19th century

Curator: Jacques-Francois-Joseph Swebach offers us this intriguing little print, "Plate XLV." What jumps out at you? Editor: Well, immediately, it's the stiff formality, isn't it? The men, the horses...rigid. I wonder about the power dynamics at play here. Curator: I agree! The scene hints at military life, with that central rider seemingly barking orders to the fellow holding the horses. It feels like a depiction of authority and control. Editor: Precisely! And how that control is visually emphasized by the posture of the seated figure almost completely obscured by the horse, which speaks to how labor is literally overshadowed, deemphasized, perhaps even forgotten. Curator: I hadn't considered that aspect...It’s fascinating how much a simple line drawing can convey. You’ve given me a whole new perspective on this piece. Editor: That’s the beauty of art, isn't it? It holds up a mirror to our world and to our past.