Engraving, portrait of King Charles II on horseback by Cornelis van Caucerken after Abraham van Diepenbeeck, Netherlands 17th/18th century.
Origin: Netherlands, 1647 / 1743.

Dimensions: print – 37,5 x 49,4 cm; frame – 44,3 x 56,5 x 1,7 cm.

A fine portrait of Charles II on horseback, engraved by Cornelis van Caucerken after a painting by Abraham van Diepenbeeck, published in 'A General System of Horsemanship,' by William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle.
Cavendish, a Royalist commander during the English Civil War, followed Prince Charles into exile in the Low Countries. Passionate about horses, he established a riding school in Antwerp and published in 1657 a revolutionary work on equestrian training techniques, 'La Methode et Invention nouvelle de Dresser les Chevaux', in which this plate first appeared. This example most probably comes from the 2nd edition (first in English), published 1743.
Most of Diepenbeeck's illustrations show Cavendish training horses at his Antwerp school but this plate shows the uncrowned king in armour astride a warhorse, with Cupid bringing his helmet. Above, angels and cherubs carry royal insignia, led by Athena holding a crown over the king's head; on a lower slope to left, Mercury looking up to Charles and gesturing to a battle, headed by Mars lunging at a three-headed dragon. The allegory not-too-subtly shows Charles's determination to win back his crown and his capital city, seen in the distance. What happened. Oliver Cromwell died and Charles as invited to return.

Conditions report: later gilt wood frame. Good condition for the age. Visible crack in place of folding, minor scratches and dents to the frame.

Packing and shipment: within EU – 28 EUR, USA/Canada – 40 EUR, China and Asia – 45 EUR. Other destinations – ask for quote.