Studie van een trekpaard

Johannes Tavenraat made this study of a draft horse in 1841 with pen in brown ink on paper. It is now in the Rijksmuseum. Tavenraat’s image reminds us that throughout the 19th century, animal labor was crucial to industrializing economies and agricultural production. By sketching a draft horse, Tavenraat calls attention to one of the key components of the 19th-century economy. We see this animal is harnessed for labor. This quick sketch, possibly done *en plein air* or on site, demonstrates the important relationship between man and animal at the time. If we dig deeper, we could explore the economic and social history of working animals in the Netherlands, for example, using the Rijksmuseum’s online collection. This might tell us more about the social conditions that made this drawing possible.