Arabisch paard 1825 - 1885

This is Charles Tschaggeny’s "Arabisch paard," a print that transports us to a time of orientalist fascination. Born in Belgium in 1815, Tschaggeny made this print during a period when Europe was deeply engaged with imagining the "Orient." But, who gets to imagine whom, and to what end? Consider the power dynamics at play. What does it mean to portray this horse as ‘Arabisch’? The picture suggests an exotic, faraway land, seen through a European lens. The horse is central, but the landscape is also telling – it's a backdrop, a stage for this creature deemed ‘other’. Tschaggeny's personal experiences shaped his artistic eye, but his work also reflects broader societal attitudes of the time. This print reminds us to question the stories we tell about each other and the worlds we create in the process. What narratives are being reinforced or challenged here?