Ridder te paard in wapenuitrusting after 1647

This is an engraving of a knight on horseback, made by an anonymous artist. The print presents a figure from a distant, perhaps romanticized, past. We might consider how such images functioned in their own time. Were they intended as a celebration of history, or perhaps as a commentary on contemporary society? What does it mean to depict a knight in full armor? Think about the layers of protection armor provides, but also the constraints it imposes. How might this relate to the societal roles and expectations of those in positions of power? How does that relate to our contemporary ideas of power? Consider the symbolic weight of the horse, a traditional symbol of status and strength. The knight’s regalia, along with the horse's trappings, speaks to the intertwining of personal identity and public image. In this sense, it is up to us to ask ourselves what it means to display power. We can view this as an exploration of identity, power, and the stories we tell ourselves about the past.