Schets met enkele paarden 1864 - 1936

Here, we see ‘Sketch with Several Horses,’ a pencil drawing by Jan van Essen. Though undated, Van Essen lived between 1854 and 1936, and his art was shaped by the transition from agrarian to industrial society. His drawings of working horses offer an intimate glimpse into a world where the labor of animals was integral to daily life. In this sketch, the restless lines almost evoke the tension of labor, or perhaps the quiet of rest. Are these horses working, waiting, or transporting? While on the surface, the drawing celebrates the beauty and utility of horses, we might consider the lives of the working class in the Netherlands, and the artist’s reflections on labor, class, and society. Van Essen captures a moment of quiet dignity amidst the changing world around him.