Text: "Le cheval étant sur son plan naturel, pour faire voir la plus parfaitte posture du Cavallier"
Translated: "The horse being in its natural position, to show the most perfect posture of the rider"
This copper engraving after Abraham van Diepenbeeck is in good condition, considering its age, displaying very minor foxing. This remarkable plate is part of 'A General System of Horsemanship in All Its Branches', William Cavendish's comprehensive work on equestrian dressage.
Cavendish, a prominent politician, soldier, and ardent Royalist, supported Charles I during the English Civil War. He established a prestigious riding school in Antwerp, where he trained Barbary horses acquired from Paris. In 1657, he published 'La Methode et Invention nouvelle de Dresser les Chevaux', a groundbreaking work introducing revolutionary equestrian training techniques. An English edition, 'A General System Of Horsemanship In All Its Branches', was published in 1743, showcasing exquisite illustrations of Cavendish demonstrating his expertise at his Antwerp ménage and various English estates such as Bolsover Castle and Welbeck Abbey.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.