Landschappen en stadsgezichten met figuren 1840

Johannes Tavenraat made these sketches of landscapes and cityscapes with figures in the 19th century, using graphite on paper. Notice how the motif of figures on horseback appears repeatedly throughout the composition. Equestrian figures evoke power, control, and nobility, reaching back to ancient Roman equestrian statues that glorified emperors and military leaders. Consider how Leonardo da Vinci, centuries earlier, explored similar themes of equestrian prowess in his unfinished "Adoration of the Magi." The horse, a symbol of virility and command, also appears in Delacroix's Romantic paintings as a spirited, untamed force. This motif resonates through time. In Tavenraat’s sketches, these figures, while less overtly heroic, still carry echoes of this historical symbolism. The collective memory of equestrian power continues to resonate, engaging viewers on a subconscious level and reminding us of the complex, cyclical interplay between past and present.