Set five horsemanship dressage engravings from William Cavendish 'New method and extraordinary invention to dress horses and work them according to nature." They depict William Cavendish (1592-1676), first Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne, on horseback at his various estates. The Duke was a leading commander in the English Civil War who, after the Royalist defeat, fled to the continent. During his exile Cavendish established a famous riding school in Antwerp. It was located in Rubens former home which Cavendish rented from Rubens widow. In 1658, while still in exile, Cavendish first published, in French, his influential book on horsemanship 'La Methode et Invention Nouvelle de Dresser les Chevaux'. After his return to England following the Restoration, English editions were issued in London. All engravings are designs of Flemish School artist Abraham van Diepenbeeck (1596-1675), a disciple of Rubens, and were first engraved by various 17th Century Flemish engravers whose names are inscribed on the plates as follows:

Left to right top row

Plate 40.
Abr. a Diepenbeke delineavit
Lucas Vorstermans iunior Sculpsit.
40.

(Plate 41.)
Abr. a Diepenbeke delineavit
A. Lommelin Sculp
41.

Left to right bottom row

(Plate 30)
Demi-air par le Droite.
Abr. a Diepenbeke delin.
Petr van Lisebetten Sculp.
30.

(Plate 34.)
Capriolles sur les voltes a main gauche.
Abr. a Diepenbeke delineavit
Lucas Vorstermans iunior Sculpsit.
34.

(Plate 35.)
Groupades sur les voltes a main gauche.
La Gallerie.
Abr. a Diepenbeke delineavit
Thod. van Kessel fecit.
35.

Zoom into photos to appreciate in detail. Matted and framed, ready to display. Engraved on laid paper with Strasburg Lily / Bend II watermark (with initials LVG for Lubertus van Gerrink, a major Dutch paper maker on at least one). Toning, folds, tears, and losses (mostly concealed by mats) and several scraped off texts identifying the Duke, his estates and page numbers. Shipped fully insured with tracking number.

Measurements: Frames: 26 1/4" by 21"; Image: 20" by 15" (with variations) approximately.