Horse
17th–18th Century
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 15 5/8 x 11 7/16 in. (39.7 x 29.1 cm) plate: 13 3/4 x 10 3/16 in. (34.9 x 25.8 cm) image: 12 11/16 x 9 1/8 in. (32.3 x 23.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.756
Tags
Art Historical Context
Johann Elias Ridinger’s *Horse*, an etching from the 17th18th century, exemplifies artist’s mastery of animal portraiture during the Baroque era. This finely detailed print, measuring approximately 15⅝ × 11½ inches on the sheet, captures the majestic form of its equine subject with remarkable precision. Produced through the etching technique—where acid bites into a metal plate to create intricate lines—Ridinger’s work allowed for subtle textures and dynamic shading, making it a standout in reproductive printmaking. Ridinger, a prolific German engraver and publisher active in Augsburg, special...
About the Artist
Johann Elias Ridinger · 1698–1767
Johann Elias Ridinger (1698–1767) was born in Ulm into an artistic family, the son of scribe and artist Johann Daniel Ridinger and Regina Catharina Miller. He received his initial training in Ulm under the painter Christoph Resch, who instructed him in perspective, geometry, and architecture while assigning preparatory tasks like painting wax models. Around 1713, Ridinger moved to Augsburg, where ...