Horse Head Hitching Post 1935 - 1942

Vincent P. Rosel made this drawing of a "Horse Head Hitching Post," sometime during his lifetime, 1855 to 1995. At first glance, the image depicts a functional object, but within this depiction of the everyday, we can find a deeper resonance related to identity and our relationship to the natural world. The horse head hitching post is a symbol of connection, of pausing on a journey. But who is pausing? Who is journeying? The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a growing awareness and nostalgia for rural life, even as industrialization lured people to the cities. Rosel's drawing captures this tension. The hitching post itself becomes a site where human and animal histories intertwine. The horse, often a symbol of freedom and power, is here rendered in service. Rosel invites us to reflect on our own journeys. Are we tied to tradition, or do we seek new paths? What does it mean to find rest and connection in a world that's constantly moving?