Woman with two horses 

Author: María Izquierdo

Name: Woman with Two Horses (Mujer con dos caballos)

Date: 1938

Material: Watercolor on paper

Dimensions: 9.75 × 7.88 inches

Collection: Sylvia Pandolfi Collection, Mexico City 

In Woman with Two Horses (Mujer y dos caballos, 1938), María Izquierdo evokes the mystical atmosphere and layered symbolism seen in her earlier works like Allegory of Labor (Alegoría del trabajo, 1936), Slaves in a Mythical Landscape (Esclavas en paisaje mítico, 1936), and Allegory of Liberty (Alegoría de la libertad, 1937). In this composition, the woman appears bound and rides the white horse, her hands raised as if in surrender or prayer under the crescent moon. Her posture and the restrained horses convey a mix of vulnerability and defiance, much like the bound female figures in Slaves in a Mythical Landscape. The lunar presence and celestial alignment echo the astrological themes in Allegory of Labor and Allegory of Liberty, where heavenly bodies and fiery rays suggest the influence of cosmic forces on human fate. Here, the crescent moon casts a symbolic light on the scene, adding a sense of destiny and mysticism that aligns with Izquierdo’s interest with astrological determination.

The recurrent image of horses in Izquierdo’s paintings often symbolizes freedom, power, and endurance. Yet here the scene is imbued with a sense of stillness and tension, as one of the horses stands while the other lies down. The somber landscape and the darkened archway in the background create a metaphysical space that seems to suspend time, positioning the woman and horses in an otherworldly realm. This setting, reminiscent of a ritual or a scene of mythic captivity, invites viewers to reflect on the cyclical nature of struggle and liberation. Like her other works, Woman with Two Horses uses allegorical figures to embody both personal and universal themes of resilience, suggesting that human struggles are intertwined with larger cosmic patterns. Izquierdo’s choice of horses, combined with her astrological and mystical influences, transforms this quiet scene into a meditation on endurance and the mysterious forces that shape human experience.