Paard staand in stal met deken op de rug, naar links 1818

Jean Bernard made this sketch of a horse standing in a stable with a blanket on its back, around the late 18th to early 19th century. Bernard, who lived through the Batavian Revolution and the Napoleonic era, would have witnessed the changing role of horses in both military and civilian life. The image captures the animal's subdued strength and its reliance on humans. Note the horse’s covered back and the trappings which suggest both care and utility. The horse here isn’t a romanticized symbol of freedom, but an animal of service. Consider how the drawing invites us to reflect on the labor and lives of animals, often unseen, that have been so intertwined with human history and progress. It’s a quiet, yet potent reminder of their presence.