Man op een paard dat een curvet of bokkesprong doet before 1889

This anonymous print depicts a man on horseback performing a 'curvet,' one of the haute ecole or 'high school' movements of classical dressage. The image comes to us from an era deeply invested in codifying social hierarchies through performance. Horsemanship, particularly this highly stylized form, was not merely a sport or pastime, but a demonstration of control, discipline, and status. The very act of mastering such a refined skill spoke volumes about one's position in society and the leisure time available to the upper classes. The controlled power of the horse mirrors the social order, where those in authority, like the rider, exert their will over others, and, of course, over the horse. To further understand this image, we might turn to manuals on horsemanship from the period, aristocratic memoirs, and perhaps even conduct books. These resources would provide a richer context for interpreting the social codes at play in this seemingly simple image.