Man on a Horse

Texto del museo

The genre of equestrian portraiture dates back to classical Greek and Roman antiquity, when it was used to depict rulers and suggest power and status. In the 19th century, members of the upper classes sometimes had their picture taken astride their horse. The rider here has been identified as Leonardus Antonius Lightenvelt, a Dutch statesman whose final position was as envoy to France, where this photograph was taken. The photographic equipment of the 1860s required a long exposure; it was hard to get a horse to remain perfectly still for a long time.

Descripción original del museo, en inglés. Licencia: CC0