Militaire hoefsmid in het veld 1846 - 1892

Hendrik Adriaan Christiaan Dekker made this print of a military farrier in the field. The printmaking process itself is worth noting, as a mode of artistic production that gained prominence during the rise of industrialization. This piece exemplifies the democratization of art through printmaking, as the work could be reproduced on a mass scale, making images more accessible to a wider audience. The depicted blacksmithing mirrors this dynamic, showing labor practices central to military operations. The work shows not only the process of shoeing a horse, but more broadly, the logistical efforts required to keep an army mobilized. What might seem like a quaint scene is actually a window into the labour, politics and consumption of 19th century military infrastructure. By focusing on the processes behind both the image and the scene within it, we gain a deeper understanding of its significance.