Gezadeld trekpaard 1840 - 1841

Johannes Tavenraat made this sketch of a saddled draft horse on paper sometime in the 19th century. The drawing gives us a peek into the everyday life and agricultural practices of the Netherlands during that period. Images of working animals like this one reflect the social and economic importance of agriculture in 19th-century Dutch society. Horses were not merely beasts of burden; they were partners in production, integral to the rural economy and the social fabric of agrarian communities. Given the rise of landscape painting in the Netherlands during this time, we might consider this drawing in relationship to a broader artistic exploration of the Dutch countryside. We can even ask whether Tavenraat is attempting to ennoble the working animal, much in the same way that the Dutch masters aggrandized the landscape. By looking at agricultural records, economic data, and other visual representations of rural life, we can better understand this sketch as both a technical study and as a cultural artifact that embodies the values and realities of its time.