Kar met drie paarden, voorstudie voor ets c. 1897 - 1898

This is Pieter Dupont’s preliminary study for an etching, "Kar met drie paarden", made with graphite. The composition is dominated by the linear arrangement of three horses pulling a cart, the entire scene rendered with delicate lines that suggest form and movement. The artist's choice to present the horses and cart in profile emphasizes their sequential progression across the pictorial plane. This horizontal orientation draws the eye from left to right, creating a sense of continuous motion. The thinness of the graphite lines, combined with the unfinished nature of the sketch, imparts a sense of immediacy. The artwork operates within a semiotic framework where the horse-drawn cart symbolizes labor, transportation, and perhaps a slower, more traditional way of life. The unfinished quality of the sketch also challenges fixed meanings, inviting viewers to contemplate the themes of work and progress within a rapidly changing society. The sketch is a study in form and function, offering a glimpse into the artist's process of translating observation into art. It prompts us to reflect on the relationship between artistic intention and cultural interpretation.