Hoofd van een paard, naar rechts

Jean Bernard created this drawing, "Head of a Horse, Facing Right," with a graphite pencil. Although undated, we can assume that the image comes from the late 18th or early 19th century, given the artist's lifespan and career. Horses were a status symbol in the Dutch Republic, indicators of wealth and power as they were used for transportation, agriculture, and military purposes. Bernard, who lived through the Batavian Republic and the Napoleonic Kingdom of Holland, would have been very aware of the politics surrounding such an image. By focusing on the animal itself, rather than a scene of labour or military action, the artist is reflecting the changing place of the horse in Dutch society. The Rijksmuseum provides crucial context for images like these. By researching the cultural history of the Netherlands, we can better understand how art reflects the nation's evolving identity and relationship with the natural world.