Gennemarbejdet studie af en kærrehest med mulepose, af kærren ses kun vognstangen og et meget stort hjul 1845

Johan Thomas Lundbye created this study of a cart horse with a nosebag, of which only the cart shaft and a very large wheel are visible, using pencil and watercolor on paper. The drawing is defined by a contrast between the organic and the geometric. Lundbye masterfully captures the patient strength of the horse through delicate shading and soft contours. The animal's form is rendered with naturalism, its posture suggesting a moment of rest. This organic form is juxtaposed with the large wheel of the cart. The wheel, meticulously drawn with radiating spokes, creates a stark contrast to the soft lines of the horse. This juxtaposition invites a semiotic reading, where the horse represents nature, and the wheel symbolizes human industry and its impact on the natural world. The composition's tension lies not just in the contrast of forms, but in the balance between them, suggesting an interdependence between nature and human labor. Lundbye encourages us to consider how these elements intersect, shaping our understanding of progress and its relationship with the environment.