Zwaarlijvige ruiter after 1769

This small drawing, titled ‘Zwaarlijvige ruiter’ or ‘Corpulent Rider,’ is held at the Rijksmuseum and was created by an anonymous artist. The sketch depicts a stout figure on horseback. Without knowing the artist, we can consider how representations of class and status were often displayed through the depiction of figures on horseback. Horses as a mode of transport were expensive to keep and became a symbol of wealth and power. The rider's corpulence may have been a deliberate signifier. Throughout history, a larger body size has been associated with affluence, suggesting access to ample food and a life of leisure, especially when contrasted with the laboring classes. What does it mean to portray this figure with a certain excess? Perhaps a statement on social structures, or a commentary on personal identity and perceived status. The drawing, in its own way, asks us to consider the relationship between body image, social standing, and the subtle ways power dynamics are visualized.