Eisenberg Drawings

18th century German, a hand-colored engraving of a dressage horse and rider from Description du Manège Moderne by Friedrich Wilhelm, Baron Rais d' Eisenberg (German, ca. 1700-ca. 1770). Engraved by Bernard Picart (French, 1673-1733). Titled "Le Brillant", this dressage engraving is plate XXXIII. There is a gallery label verso. The print is matted and framed under UF-3 plexiglass, which offers the maximum amount of UV protection (approx. 97%). This print was originally part of an illustrated book Baron d'Eisenberg made describing the art of the cavaliers and depicting the different breeds of horses- The full title of the book is L'Art de Monter a Cheval: ou Description du Manége Moderne, Dans sa Perfection, published in Leipzig: Arkstée et Merkus, 1747). A set of 7 framed engravings from the same book sold at Sotheby's for $9,500 (plus tax and buyers premium). Reference: The author, a German horseman and artist, spent some of his youth at the manège of Saxe-Weimar before entering into the service of the Emperor. He then spent six years in Naples as the Master of Horse of the Viceroy before returning to Vienna where he studied under M. de Regenthal, the imperial Master of Horse. He participated in the coronation of the Emperor Charles V at Frankfurt in 1711, then spent some time in England, but was back in Germany before 1753. He probably died in Tuscany where he was Director and Master of the Horse at the Academy in Pisa. Brunet II, 957; Mennessier de la Lance I, p. 438. The Baron wrote several important and lavishly illustrated books on horses: his Description du manège moderne dans sa perfection, London 1727, and Dictionnaire des termes du manège moderne, 1747, being the best well-known. He dedicated Description du Manège Moderne to King George II and to his son, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Subscribers to the book included royalty and nobility from all over Europe. The engraver was Bernard Picart, born in Paris in 1673. He gained honors at the Academy of Paris at the age of sixteen. He was a master designer and engraver and worked in Paris and Amsterdam until his death in 1733. Dimensions: 9"h x 12"w (sight), 16.5"h x 19.25"w (frame) Condition: Good, some rippling to sheet, not examined out of frame. Provenance: Lombard Antiquarian Maps & Prints, Cape Elizabeth...