Ruiter met een steigerend paard naar rechts 1669 - 1717

Dirk Maas created this etching of a horse and rider in the late 17th or early 18th century. Maas lived in a time when the Dutch Republic was a major power, with wealth built on maritime trade and colonial exploits. This image reflects the power dynamics of the period. The rider, confidently mounted on a rearing horse, embodies authority and control. Horses were expensive to keep and train and became potent symbols of wealth and status. The rider’s mastery over the animal mirrors the broader social hierarchy, where some individuals and nations dominated others. It makes you wonder about the lives of those who were excluded from this picture of power. What were their stories, and how did they experience this era of expansion and opulence? "Ruiter met een steigerend paard naar rechts" is not just a depiction of horsemanship, but a snapshot of a society defined by class distinctions.