Boerderij en paarden 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat sketched this drawing, ‘Farm and Horses’, using graphite. The horse is not merely an animal here, but a symbol laden with meaning throughout art history. Horses have appeared in art since the Paleolithic era. In ancient Greece, they were symbols of power and nobility, often associated with gods like Poseidon. We see horses in battle scenes on Roman friezes and adorning the equestrian statues of emperors, emblems of military might and imperial authority. Consider, for instance, the dynamic energy of horses in Gericault’s ‘Raft of the Medusa’. Here, too, they evoke a sense of untamed power and emotional intensity. Over time, the horse has also become associated with freedom, adventure, and the wild landscapes of the American West. How fascinating that this primal symbol continues to gallop through our collective memory, reappearing across cultures, each time imbued with new layers of meaning.