Paard van W.L. de Jager uit Wartena 1851 - 1861

Curator: Oh, look at this! I feel like I've just stumbled into a Victorian-era pastoral scene, all soft light and refined composure. There’s such a poised energy. Editor: Indeed! We’re looking at “Paard van W.L. de Jager uit Wartena,” which translates to “Horse of W.L. de Jager from Wartena," a drawing made with pencil and watercolor on paper sometime between 1851 and 1861, attributed to Abraham Hendrik Winter. What strikes you most about this particular horse portrait, knowing that? Curator: The rabbit, absolutely! It's such a whimsical detail, so unexpected. The way it’s sort of scrambling in the face of all that poised masculinity… it gives the whole scene this lovely, off-kilter quality. The contrast makes it feel alive and unrehearsed. What I think is so interesting is how this imagery could almost seem staged to portray a narrative that only existed amongst the upper class in that time period. Editor: The inclusion of genre painting elements is interesting. These horse portraits became quite popular among wealthy landowners as a means of celebrating agricultural progress and demonstrating their modern breeding techniques. I would even argue that we continue to do that with things like social media even today. Curator: So it’s a kind of status symbol then. Even that refined gentleman holding the horse is symbolic of this class portrayal. It’s strange how that is all embodied in something so simple. Editor: Absolutely. By the mid-19th century, industrialization enabled greater agricultural output, making some landowners very wealthy. Portraits like these weren't simply about the horse, but a visual representation of economic and social standing. Curator: It’s always amazing how a simple portrait can reveal so much. I initially thought it was just beautiful but hearing the full story and what that can all mean for society puts this beautiful moment in a different context. Editor: Exactly. There’s always so much to unpack beyond the surface, isn’t there? And hopefully these subtle cues spark further inquiry!