Palottade à Droite

  • About the work
    Location
    Country: Belarus
    City: Minsk
    Place: British Embassy

    This coloured engraving after a work by Johann Elias Ridinger illustrates an example of a formal dressage exercise. It apparently illustrates a jump to the right and the French title beneath the image, ‘Palottade à Droite’, is also repeated in German and Latin. In this image the balanced tension between rider and horse, required to achieve the necessary control and showmanship, is apparent.

    In 1839 bookseller and publisher James Bohn of London listed in his catalogue a nine volume publication titled ‘Ridinger Opere’, which he described as ‘a collection of seven hundred and forty-five very spirited engravings, by Jos. Elias Ridinger’, priced at £52 and 10 shillings. The plates included images of birds and animals, both wild and tame, and hunting or equestrian scenes. The first part of the final volume, on the ‘Art of Equitation’ (or horsemanship), had text in both French and German and may have included this image.

  • About the artist
    Animal painter and engraver Johann Elias Ridinger was born in Ulm, Germany. He began his training in 1712, under painter Christopher Resch (active 1701¬-16). Four years later he continued his studies in Augsburg, where he worked with painter Johann Falch (1687-1727), producing equestrian works and images of wild animals and game. He later spent three years at Regensburg, sketching horses at the riding school. After returning to Augsburg, he learnt the techniques of engraving and printing, eventually establishing an art publishing business. In 1759 he became Director of the Academy of Art in Augsburg. After his death, the publishing business was continued by his sons, Martin and Johann Jakob.
  • Explore
    Places
    Subjects
    horseback, tree, horse, man
    Materials & Techniques
    engraving, coloured engraving
  • Details
    Title
    Palottade à Droite
    Date
    Medium
    Coloured engraving
    GAC number
    17542