Ruiter op staand paard in medaillon 1778 - 1838

This miniature etching presents a rider on horseback, crafted by Anthonie van den Bos, encapsulated within a circular medallion. The horse and rider motif stretches back through antiquity, symbolizing power, nobility, and control over the self and environment. Consider the equestrian statues of Roman emperors, their raised hands a gesture of command, mirrored faintly in our rider’s posture. This image evokes the collective memory of leadership and authority. Yet, here, the figure is diminished, the landscape simple, suggesting perhaps a more personal, localized dominion. The medallion format itself recalls ancient coins or family crests. The image within a frame implies a captured moment, a memento, perhaps tapping into our subconscious desire to freeze time and preserve identity. The symbol of the horse and rider is not static; it evolves, reflecting changing societal values, resurfacing time and again in various guises, each bearing its own historical weight.