Soldaat met zijn paard 1799 - 1871

Jean Pierre Marie Jazet made this print of a soldier and his horse. The print’s dedication indicates that the image is after a design by Horace Vernet, a painter from a family dynasty of artists. Vernet's work often celebrated French military achievements. Here we see an image of a French artilleryman smoking a pipe with his arms crossed, while his horse stands patiently beside him. It would be useful to study the history of French military uniforms, which had become increasingly standardized in this period. This was an era of major social upheaval in France, including the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The image of the soldier would have had great political resonance at this time. The artist may have been interested in reflecting on the social changes taking place in France. The image is also a product of its institutional context. It was made at a time when printmaking was becoming increasingly popular as a way to disseminate images to a wider audience. Art historians should study archives from that time, including prints, pamphlets, and books.