Werkpaard bij een hek 1610 - 1653

This small etching, ‘Werkpaard bij een hek’, was created by Simon de Vlieger sometime in the mid-17th century. The composition is immediately striking for its monumentality, the workhorse rendered as a large, solid form filling nearly the entire frame. De Vlieger’s strategic use of etching lines creates a palpable sense of texture. Look closely, and you’ll see how varied strokes define the horse’s heavy coat and muscular build, contrasting with the smoother, flatter planes of the wooden fence. The artist employs light and shadow not merely to depict, but to evoke a mood. The relatively dark tones, achieved through dense cross-hatching, lend the scene a quiet solemnity, inviting contemplation. De Vlieger masterfully balances the detailed rendering of the horse with a minimalist setting, focusing attention on the animal's physical presence. In its intricate balance, this work operates as a complex interplay of form and content.