Hoofd van een paard met oogkleppen op, naar rechts 1820

Jean Bernard’s drawing of a horse’s head, made with pen in grey, is a study in constrained vision. The horse, rendered with meticulous strokes, is saddled with blinders, its gaze intentionally limited. Bernard’s mastery in capturing texture, from the smooth coat of the horse to the rough leather of the blinders, gives the drawing a tactile quality, yet the lines are controlled and deliberate, echoing the very constraints placed upon the animal. The composition directs our eyes to the horse’s restricted view, making us ponder themes of control, perception, and freedom. The sketch destabilizes the romantic ideal of the horse in art, reducing it to a subject of imposed limitations. The drawing serves as an understated commentary on the structures of power and the manipulation of sight.