Gezicht op een rijschool in een buitenwijk te Wenen 18th century

This colored etching, created by Basset, depicts a riding school in Vienna. The most striking symbol here is the horse, a motif rich with cultural significance. Horses, symbols of power and nobility, have been revered across civilizations, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance. We see this reflected in equestrian statues throughout Europe, meant to symbolize leadership and control. Here, the horses' controlled movements within the riding school suggest not only physical skill but also the taming of primal instincts. This control mirrors the human desire to impose order on the natural world, a theme prevalent in art throughout history. In the collective psyche, the horse is associated with freedom and vitality. This association can be traced back through ancient mythologies where the horse is a divine attribute of gods.