Opgetuigd paard 1828

Anthonie Willem Hendrik Nolthenius de Man created this print of an harnessed horse sometime in the early 19th century. During this period, animals were essential to agriculture and transportation, with the lives of many families deeply intertwined with the labor of these animals. Here we see an image of a horse in the Netherlands, likely a workhorse, head bowed in a moment of rest. There is a quiet dignity to this image, but also a sense of isolation. The artist is asking us to consider the complex relationship between humans and animals, between freedom and servitude. While seemingly simple, the image encapsulates broader societal themes of labor, reliance, and the economic realities of 19th-century life. It invites reflection on the lives, both human and animal, shaped by the demands of the era.