Gezadeld paard naar rechts 1810 - 1884

Johannes Mock created this print of a saddled horse facing right sometime in the 19th century. This was a period when horses were essential for transportation, agriculture, and military activities, embodying labor, power, and freedom. Here, the horse stands, saddled and ready, but without a rider. Consider the implications of this absence. Is it a symbol of unfulfilled potential, of labor waiting to be employed? Or does it speak to a deeper longing for freedom, a quiet rebellion against the constraints of its working life? Notice the contrast between the horse's muscular form and its passive stance. What does this reveal about the relationship between the animal's inherent power and its domesticated role? How does Mock invite us to reflect on the complex interactions between humans and animals, and on the values we project onto them? The image quietly invites us to consider broader themes of labor, freedom, and our relationship with the natural world.