Landschap met paard uit Rome c. 1590 - 1637

Egbert van Panderen created this engraving, Landschap met paard uit Rome, sometime in the early 17th century. Dominating the foreground is a horse, a symbol deeply rooted in human history, representing power, freedom, and nobility. The horse motif gallops through time, appearing in Paleolithic cave paintings and recurring in classical sculptures. The Greeks saw the horse as a symbol of Poseidon, a god of fertility, but also war. When we reach the Renaissance, we find Leonardo da Vinci consumed by the animal's anatomy, immortalizing it in dynamic sketches. Interestingly, the muscular horse in this engraving evokes a visceral response; its size and vitality stir something primal within us. This image invites us to contemplate the enduring power of symbols, their capacity to tap into the collective unconscious, and the cyclical nature of cultural memory.