Rytter vendt mod højre 1594

This is a tiny pen and brown ink drawing on paper, depicting a rider facing right, made by Martin Pleginck in the late 16th century. It's interesting to consider the political undertones of equestrian portraits in this period. Horses were expensive, requiring land and resources. The ability to own and manage them became a powerful symbol of wealth and status, with these images helping to reinforce existing hierarchies. The rider’s clothing and upright posture, the horse’s rearing gait - these visual cues emphasize the rider’s control, an important quality for those in power. The artist would have been aware of these established visual codes, and how they reflect the social structures of the time. By examining period documents, social histories, and artistic trends, we can start to decode the complex layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple drawing.