Horseman Firing a Pistol at another Horseman 1636 - 1775

Curator: "Horseman Firing a Pistol at another Horseman" a piece made sometime between 1636 and 1775, comes to us from Jacques Courtois. Currently, it resides at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: What a wonderfully chaotic, monochrome scene! There's such immediacy and aggression radiating from this painting. You almost feel the earth trembling from the galloping horses. Curator: Absolutely. Courtois had this knack for capturing the sheer brutality of combat, of those split-second decisions in warfare. Think about the historical backdrop here; the seemingly endless religious and territorial conflicts gripping Europe. War was personal, fought hand-to-hand, and Courtois doesn't shy away from depicting the brutal realities of those confrontations. It's there in the urgency of the brushstrokes. Editor: This resonates with so many instances in history. The power structures displayed in these kinds of violent encounters... Look at the dark figures juxtaposed with lighter backdrops; what is illuminated and what remains in shadow. Is the intention simply illustrative? Or do you suppose Courtois means for us to consider what it is we choose to highlight in history—and who, or what, becomes obscured in those narratives? Curator: Interesting! I do wonder about the individual stories often lost in the broad strokes of war history, those untold experiences. Courtois gives us this glimpse into that frenetic energy—the visceral sense of being in the fray. Editor: This work calls us to look deeper, past the surface of bravado, towards the complex intersection of history, identity, and violence. These aren't simply two figures engaged in battle; this single, explosive moment encapsulates generations of unresolved tensions. It also makes me think about how violence becomes normalised. What this ultimately says about humanity. Curator: Nicely said! It also reflects our present moment, really—that need to continuously unpack what we think we know and be mindful of perspective. Editor: I wholeheartedly agree.