The plastermaker’s horse 1821

Editor: This is Théodore Géricault’s "The Plastermaker’s Horse," a charcoal drawing from 1821. It's striking how much weight is implied, both in the cart and on the man carrying sacks inside the building. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Beyond the visible weight, I see the weight of social structures and class dynamics. Géricault, even through his Romantic lens, exposes the grueling labor endured by the working class. Note how the horse, a symbol of power and nobility, is here yoked to this thankless task. Doesn't that mute the very nobility we expect? Editor: I didn't think about that! The horse looks burdened, certainly not powerful. But why focus on the working class in this way? Curator: Géricault was painting in post-revolutionary France, a society grappling with immense inequalities despite the ideals of liberty and equality. Doesn't the realism here act as a critique of those very ideals? It subtly highlights the suffering and exploitation that fueled industrializing societies. Consider, also, the way that Géricault seems to give more life to the horse than to the plaster maker carrying bags on his back. Editor: That’s a sharp observation. The horse is much more detailed, with clearly defined musculature. He seems resigned. So, it's not just a depiction of labor but also a commentary on the exploitation inherent in the system. Curator: Precisely. It raises questions about whose labor is valued and whose is rendered invisible. Can you see this piece sparking conversation about labor rights even today? Editor: Absolutely. Looking at it through that lens definitely changes my perspective. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. It serves as a reminder that even in art of the past, we find resonances of contemporary issues and continuing struggles for equality.