Ruitergevecht 1744

This print, made by Jacques Philippe Le Bas, captures a cavalry battle with swords raised high, a scene brimming with symbolic weight. The raised sword is a gesture resonating through epochs. I see in it the ancient Roman gladius, held aloft in triumph or defiance. This motif speaks to a primal impulse—the assertion of power, the dance of life and death. The rearing horses, too, are laden with meaning. Consider the horses of the Apocalypse, or the steeds in Paolo Uccello's "Battle of San Romano." These are not mere animals; they are embodiments of force, virility, and the untamed aspects of the human spirit. The clash of steel echoes through time. In our collective memory, such images evoke not just conflict but also the complex interplay between heroism and brutality. These symbols reappear across cultures, each time slightly altered, yet still carrying the weight of their origins, tapping into our deepest fears and aspirations.