Painted Horse
To have a freedom, is to have unrestricted independence over a situation or decision. A perfect example of which, is the freedom of choice which all living things have. Alex Colville’s painting, “Horse and Train”, provokes a sense of wonder in the viewer by leaving them guessing what the outcome of this scene will be. In this scene, “the horse is free to change direction, the engineer to engage brakes” (National, 2000). Alex Colville’s, “Horse and Train”, symbolizes one’s freedom to make choices.“Alex Colville was born in Toronto in 1920 and grew up in Amherst, Nova Scotia, where his family moved in 1929” (National, 2000). His main influence in painting came after university when he became a war artist. He was sent to such places as the “the liberated Belsen concentration camp” (National Film, 1983), where he painted such soldiers and the deceased. Painting in such environments would bring out emotions and thoughts relating to such issues as, life, death, peace, and war. The theory of life and death can be seen quite apparently in Colville’s “Horse and Train”. Many questions regarding life and death are brought up by viewing this painting. Why is this horse running straight at the train? “Is it memorized by the light? . . .
To have a freedom is to have the ability to do something one wants to do. When focusing on the train in the background of the picture the viewer is made aware of the ethical dilemma the engineer of the train faces. By interpreting the horse’s thoughts one can realize that the horse is contemplating a serious decision between life and death. This is achieved not only through the images in the painting, but by the drab, cold colours used. Another intriguing thought this painting stimulates, is one between freedom and destiny. The horse is depicted as being a free spirit. It is uncertain which fate the horse will chose. It is destined to only move forward down the track, as it is bound by all wheels. The ethical dilemma brought up by the “Horse and Train”, is regarding the moral choices one makes to either help or hinder another. The first colour one notices in the painting, is that of the majestic black horse. The engineer can choose to be ignorant to the fact that the horse is headed straight for the train and keep on going full speed. The horse is depicted as being, black, well-muscled, and confident. The engineer is faced with many questions such as, “is it worth stopping? How much does the death of the horse matter? Which is more dangerous – to brake and cause a possible derailment, or to keep going and risk a deadly collision? (National, 2000). The train bound to the tracks and the horse in mid-stride indicates respectively, destiny and freedom, in the painting.
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