Sculpture

An unconventional equestrian statue adorns the outside of the Federal Trade Commission building in Washington, D.C. Rather than riding astride his horse, the man depicted in the statue by Michael Lantz is wrestling with the animal. The physical exertion on the part of both man and horse is immediately apparent in their expressive body language, tense musculature, and fervent facial expressions. Erected in 1942, the "Man Controlling Trade" is deeply symbolic and perfectly representative of the core mission of the FTC. The FTC exists to regulate business, with goals of preventing monopolies, stimulating healthy competition, and encouraging entrepreneurship. In Lantz's statue, the horse represents unregulated trade. The massive creature is, ironically, one that has been tamed for use by human beings for centuries if not thousands of years. The horse has been used as a mode of transportation and beast of burden, and was used as both up until...
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