Tartarenreitpferde, rechts ein Reiter mit Fangseil 

This pencil sketch by Teutwart Schmitson at the Städel Museum features Tartar horses, with one rider brandishing a lasso. Horses have long been symbols of power, freedom, and virility, deeply embedded in human consciousness. The horse and rider motif, seen here, echoes in various cultures. From the equestrian statues of Roman emperors to the fearless horsemen of the American West, the image of a human mounted on a horse embodies control and mastery over nature. The lasso held by the rider is particularly telling; it is a tool of constraint but also a symbol of human ingenuity to shape his world. Consider the taming of horses, a pivotal moment in human history, mirroring our primal quest to dominate the wild. This dynamic interaction, the tension between freedom and control, plays out across time, reappearing in countless visual narratives, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. This recurring motif, like the lasso, is an expression of both a desire for control and an acknowledgment of the untamed, cyclical, and ever-evolving relationship between humanity and the natural world.