A Horseman in a Landscape 1814

Here, we have James Ward’s sketch, "A Horseman in a Landscape" made with pen on paper. Ward was deeply affected by the agricultural changes of the British Industrial Revolution. Notice the rider and his horse. The man is sharply dressed, sitting proudly and upright. The horse, on the other hand, appears to be struggling and uncoordinated. Ward frequently used horses in his art to express themes of power, energy, and even social commentary. Is the horse a tool, a vehicle for the rider's ambition? Ward himself was raised in poverty and was apprenticed as an engraver at a young age. He would have experienced and witnessed class divides. In "A Horseman in a Landscape," it seems he asks us to consider this class disparity and its cost. What do we gain, and what do we sacrifice in pursuit of progress?