A Lord and His Horse

Thomas Hendricksz de Keyser (1596-1667) had a lot of success with the upper middle class and the aristocracy of Amsterdam. This painting is one of the rare examples of his work preserved in French collections.
A lord, his groom and his horse are represented in an antique setting. The elegant and sober outfit of the lord, characteristic of this period, is finely crafted. This lord holds a riding crop with one hand and with the other draws our attention to his horse, which his groom holds back by the bridle.
In this allegorical depiction against a background of a Mediterranean landscape, the presence of a statue of Hercules (recognizable by his club, the skin of the Nemean lion and a golden apple of the Hesperides in his hand, a memory of one of the 12 labors) suggests the power and erudition of this lord.
Indre Department, Donation Fontarce
From the texts by Sandrine Le Bideau in the catalog Flemish and Dutch paintings—Collection of the Châteauroux museums (Peintures Flamande et Hollandaise—Collection des Musées de Châteauroux) Somogy-Editions d'Art.