Cavalerist bestijgt een paard 1820 - 1851

Karl Loeillot-Hartwig made this print of a cavalryman mounting a horse sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The image evokes the military culture of 19th century Europe. Cavalry units were not only essential for warfare, but they also embodied aristocratic values of honor, skill, and tradition. The print's composition and detail emphasize the social codes and status symbols associated with military service at the time. The uniform, the well-groomed horse, and even the distant building that may be a fort, are all carefully rendered. Loeillot-Hartwig clearly draws from the traditions of military art popular at the time, while perhaps also commenting on the changing role of the military in a rapidly modernizing society. To fully understand this print, we might research the history of cavalry units in 19th-century Europe, the changing role of the military in society, and the artistic conventions of military portraiture at the time.