Man and the Horse

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Man and the Horse

A Prince is never surrounded by as much majesty on bis throne as be is on a beautiful borse.

These words, written by William Cavendish, duke of Newcastle, preceptor to Charles II of England, and the author of an influential seventeenth-century riding manual, are eloquently illustrated in this beautiful book, published to accompany an exhibition conceived by Diana Vreeland for the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute. As Mrs. Vreeland writes: "A man mounted on his horse is twice the man he is on the ground The highly refined domain of the horse is a polished, highly stylized realm reflecting the glory and exhilaration he inspires.

This magnificent volume, written by three experts in the field and illustrated with more than one hundred works of art from many periods and cultures, is a celebration of the world of the horse and of man's relationship with one of the most beautiful creatures on earth. It is also a history of style-for the horse has always been, for man, an object of elegance, as well as a means of displaying style, wealth, and pride. Because the accouterments of the horseman require a harmonious blend of efficient design, high quality, and superior workmanship. they reflect the essence of true style, which this book uniquely demonstrates.

Never has there been gathered together such a rich collection of art exploring this theme, ranging from an Assyrian relief, Greek vases, and Chinese ceramics to works by such great Western artists as Delacroix, Gericault, and Stubbs, and the important horse painters James Seymour, Alfred de Dreux, and Sir Alfred Munnings. Fashion plates, photographs, and prints enrich this history of equitation and equestrian style-from the great baroque period of classical dressage to the excitement of modern polo, from the hunt field to the racetrack and the ranges of the Old West.

Throughout history the horse has been man's companion in pleasure and war, but more than this, the horse has always inspired in a man a sense of wonder and a passion for elegance, both of which are reflected in this extraordinary volume, at once an art book, a survey of manners, and a history of costume

Introduction by Diana Vreeland

Alexander McKay-Smith, Jean R. Druesedow, Thomas Ryder

Hardback, excellent condition.