Studieblad, onder andere met paarden en ruiters 1839

Johannes Tavenraat created this study sheet with horses and riders, a collection of lively sketches, using a pencil. Observe how Tavenraat captures the horse, a symbol deeply embedded in the theater of memory since antiquity. The horse is not merely an animal, but an archetype of power, virility, and untamed nature. In ancient Greece, we see the horse associated with Poseidon, god of the sea, embodying both creative and destructive forces. Consider the rider too, another recurring motif throughout history, often symbolizing control and mastery. Equestrian statues of emperors and generals served as powerful propaganda. The image can be traced back to ancient equestrian statues to the Renaissance paintings of triumphant leaders on horseback. Here, the scattered arrangement of these images evokes a sense of dynamism and immediacy. They remind us that the horse and rider motif is not static, but continually re-emerges, adapted to new cultural and psychological landscapes.