Gezadeld paard met gebouwen op de achtergrond 1874 - 1909

Editor: This etching by Josué Dupon, called "Saddled Horse with Buildings in the Background," made sometime between 1874 and 1909, has such a stillness about it. The horse is just standing there, saddled but alone. It makes me wonder, where is its rider? What’s your take? Curator: Well, isn’t that the perennial question? The horse is present, a palpable mass of muscle and expectation, rendered in exquisitely scratchy detail. I can almost feel the cool stone wall behind him too. He is ready to move. And yet, it waits. To me, that poised anticipation becomes the focus, far more than lamenting the missing rider. Almost, the city itself – its obligations, really, for there isn’t much nature – holds it in place, like a breath held. But for how long? Editor: So, it’s not about abandonment, but anticipation? That's interesting; I hadn't considered the buildings adding to the sense of "obligation" as you call it. They feel so secondary to the horse itself. Curator: I suspect Dupon wanted them to be. That's etching at its best; there’s a deliberate haziness, a sketch-like quality which, for me, heightens that tension. Almost like the horse might evaporate right off the page. You might want to compare that feeling, against the implied weight of those buildings. Where does your eye travel between those contrasts? Editor: That's a great question! It bounces... between the solid buildings and the horse’s slightly hazy form. I am still unsure about how this interplay creates any sense of anticipation though. Curator: Maybe, anticipation is not the right word, or not only it. Maybe, it's really about being trapped? Held between one world and another, and ready, just, possibly ready, to bolt free... Editor: Thanks. I'm looking at this image in a new light now! Curator: My pleasure. And, of course, that’s only one perspective. The etching holds room for plenty more!