Study of a Lady in a Riding Habit
late 19th–early 20th century
Medium
Pen and black ink
Dimensions
sheet: 8 3/4 x 8 1/8 in. (22.3 x 20.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1963
Accession Number
63.614.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Study of a Lady in Riding Habit** is a lively pen-and-ink drawing by the celebrated British caricaturist Phil, created in the late 19th to early 20th century May (1864–1903), a master of black-and-white illustration, captured the vibrancy of Edwardian society through his bold, economical lines. This intimate study, measuring just 8¾ x 8⅛ inches, depicts a poised woman in equestrian attire—a tailored riding habit that symbolized upper-class leisure and mobility for women during this era of shifting social norms. May's technique shines in the fluid pen strokes that convey movement and persona...