About this sheet
Pair of Classical Dressage Engravings — Haute École Horsemanship, c.1750
This elegant pair of mid-18th century hand-colored copperplate engravings illustrates advanced movements from the refined tradition of European haute école riding. The plates depict celebrated dressage exercises including the croupade, ballotade, capriole, and piaffe performed between pillars, all central elements of aristocratic riding academies during the Enlightenment period. Richly dressed riders guide highly trained horses through disciplined and elevated movements designed to demonstrate balance, obedience, strength, and grace.
The engravings are associated with the great equestrian illustration tradition linked to Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert’s Encyclopédie, one of the most influential publishing achievements of the eighteenth century. The compositions combine technical riding instruction with elegant artistic presentation, documenting the sophisticated horsemanship practiced in royal courts and noble riding schools throughout France and Europe.
The first plate, titled Manège, La Croupade et la Ballotade, presents two dramatic airs above the ground, among the most difficult maneuvers in classical riding. The horses are shown springing upward in collected motion, demonstrating extraordinary athletic control and training. The second engraving, Manège, La Capriole, Leçon du Piafer dans les Piliers, combines a powerful capriole scene with a carefully controlled piaffe lesson performed between pillars, an important training method in classical dressage academies.
The engravings are finely executed with delicate original hand-coloring in soft tones of blue, red, green, and ochre. Their balanced compositions, elegant costumes, and idealized landscapes make them highly decorative while also carrying strong historical importance for collectors interested in equestrian culture, sporting art, military riding traditions, and Enlightenment-era engravings.
As a matching pair, these prints display exceptionally well together and create a striking visual statement in libraries, country houses, riding schools, studies, or sophisticated equestrian interiors. They are particularly appealing for collectors of horse imagery and classical dressage history.
These are original 18th-century copperplate engravings with period hand-coloring, not modern reproductions. Any framed images shown are for presentation purposes only. The engravings are supplied unframed.
Condition: Good overall condition with age-related toning, minor foxing, and light wear to the margins. Original plate marks visible. Fine original hand-coloring and strong impressions throughout.
Displays exceptionally well in dark walnut, ebonized, or lightly gilt frames with wide ivory or oatmeal mats. Particularly suitable for equestrian interiors, gentleman’s libraries, or classic European-style collections.
Special note: This is an original engraving not a reproduction. All items we offer are authentic period works of art over 100 years old. The engraving is sold unframed; any framed images are shown for presentation and interior inspiration only and may not always be on scale with the original.
