Doctor Syntax rijdt met zijn paard in op een koets en een vrouw met ezel 1821 - 1822

Thomas Rowlandson captured this scene with pen and watercolor, a moment of chaotic comedy in urban life. Notice the horse: an ancient symbol of power and nobility, now ironically rendered as the source of pandemonium, running amok. The motif of a wild, uncontrolled horse appears across cultures, from the mythical Centaurs of Greece, embodying untamed instincts, to the horses in Delacroix's paintings, representing raw emotion. Here, Rowlandson presents a twist—the horse is blind, subverting its traditional symbolism. This brings to mind the psychological undercurrents of the image. The 'blindness' can be seen as a metaphor for human folly. Just as Freud explored the hidden layers of the unconscious, Rowlandson hints at the absurdities that arise when reason falters. The humor of the scene belies a deeper commentary on the human condition, the cyclical return of chaos, and the unpredictable nature of existence, reminding us that even noble steeds can lead us astray.