Staand paard, naar links 1818

This is Jean Bernard’s pencil drawing of a 'Standing Horse, facing left' which he made sometime before his death in 1833. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the image of the horse carried heavy cultural weight. Horses were not merely animals but symbols of power, class, and virility. Equestrian portraits of rulers and aristocrats were common, reinforcing social hierarchies. Bernard, however, offers us a different perspective. Here, the horse is not a symbol of domination, but an individual. The subtle shading and delicate lines reveal a sensitivity towards his subject, which invites us to consider the animal's inherent dignity. During this era of revolution and change, representing a horse with such empathy perhaps reflects a broader shift in thinking about the relationship between humans and the natural world. It encourages a more compassionate gaze.