Paard met ruiter slaat op hol c. 1825 - 1827

This print by Bernard Édouard Swebach captures a horse and rider in mid-air, leaping desperately over a precipice. This scene evokes a primal struggle between man, beast, and the untamed forces of nature. The image reminds one of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, both capturing figures at the height of dynamic movement, imbued with potent symbolism. But where the statue celebrates triumph, here the narrative is laced with danger and uncertainty. The rearing horse, a symbol of untamed power, has been captured in art since antiquity. Consider the horses of the Apocalypse, or the steeds of classical gods; the horse embodies both potency and peril. The rider becomes a mere appendage. Will they fall? Is this a moment of desperate escape or impending doom? This precarious balance speaks to our deepest fears and desires, a dance between control and chaos that resonates across centuries.