Paard 1887 - 1891

This is one of George Hendrik Breitner’s sketches of horses. The image of the horse, across cultures and epochs, has always carried profound symbolic weight: of power, virility, and untamed nature. Here, the artist captures not just the form of the animal, but also something of its vital force. You see, the horse motif gallops through art history, from the magnificent steeds of the Parthenon frieze, embodying classical ideals of beauty and harmony, to the turbulent, emotionally charged horses in Delacroix's Romantic paintings. In each context, the horse serves as a vessel, carrying cultural and emotional meaning. Consider how the symbol has shifted—from a representation of aristocratic might to, as we see here, a study of movement. This drawing allows us to delve into how collective memory and our subconscious shape both the creation and interpretation of images. The motif has resurfaced and evolved, carrying different weights across time.