Man naast een paard before 1889

This print by Alexander Nicol shows a man beside a horse, teaching it a dressage stance. The man holds the reins in one hand and a whip in the other. The whip, at first glance, seems like an instrument of control, yet its presence evokes a complex web of associations across cultures and history. Think back to antiquity; the scepter, a symbol of royal power, evolved from the shepherd's crook. Similarly, the whip here signifies not just dominance, but the complex, often fraught, relationship between humans and animals. We see echoes of this tension in countless images throughout history. The horse itself is an ancient symbol of power and freedom. Its presence here suggests a struggle between instinct and control, a dynamic tension that has fascinated artists and viewers for centuries. This dynamic invites us to reflect on our own internal conflicts and desires.