Militairen te paard 1828 - 1853

Editor: This is "Militairen te paard," or "Military Men on Horseback," a print dating from 1828 to 1853, attributed to Broese & Comp, currently at the Rijksmuseum. The graphic art shows a bunch of very similar horses in a rigid grid... it reminds me of a really old version of a textbook page! What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, darling, you’ve stumbled onto something utterly charming, haven’t you? Forget your slick, contemporary art for a moment! This isn’t just a grid of horses; it's a portal to a world of rigid hierarchy and sartorial splendor. It whispers tales of battlefield bravado and equine elegance, don’t you think? Look closer at the details—the tiny plumes, the jaunty angles of their hats. Editor: Jaunty hats? They look mostly the same to me! I mean, they're differentiated, but so slightly... Curator: Ah, but the slightest deviation signaled rank and regiment, love! This print, made in the age of expanding empires, cataloged, celebrated even, the different roles within the military machine. Each horse, each rider, is a carefully constructed cog. Are they really the same at all, if one looks really close? It's like a peculiar poem written in ink. Almost darkly, doesn't it show that no one ever matters, beyond a role they were ordered to assume. Editor: I never thought about it like a poem. Now I see it! The small changes make a big difference. All of those lines really do tell a story about power. Thanks! Curator: Anytime, truly. Now you go find your own poem. See you out there.