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 has the freedom to leave the tracks at any time and avoid a confrontation with the train, whereas the train is destined to follow the same path with no chance for deviation. For the engineer driving the train ethical and moral choices are also considered. To have a freedom is to have the ability to do something one wants to do. This ability to choose what one wants is a symbol of their freedom.