Gipsafgietsel van een reliëf in het Musée des monuments français, voorstellende de paarden van Apollo c. 1875 - 1900

This is Médéric Mieusement's photograph of a plaster cast depicting Apollo's horses, sourced from the Musée des monuments français. Observe the rearing horses, symbols of power and untamed energy, led by Apollo, the god of light and reason. This scene echoes the classical ideal of controlling primal forces through intellect. We see similar motifs across time—from the dynamic horses in ancient Roman frescoes to the Renaissance depictions of triumphant leaders on horseback. Think of the horse motif’s appearance in Delacroix’s romantic paintings, which embodies revolutionary fervor. Here, the horse, once a symbol of divine order, becomes a symbol of chaotic freedom. This evolution reflects how symbols adapt, shaped by collective memory and the subconscious desires of each era. The image, with its dramatic tension, stirs deep emotions, reminding us of the perpetual human struggle to balance our rational and instinctual selves. These symbols resonate because they tap into our shared, often subconscious, understanding of power, control, and the eternal dance between order and chaos.