falling stag in foreground, overcome by at least five dogs pulling it to the ground; trees; riders on horses at right middle ground with additional running dogs; at least two other riders at left center; many lines

A Stag Caught by a Pack of Hounds, c. 1755

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Here we see a pack of hunting dogs bringing down a stag. As a young artist, Johan Elias Ridinger had spent years witnessing such events at aristocratic courts. Though it is unlikely that he drew this scene during an actual hunt, he tapped his deep experience of such moments to vividly imagine and recreate the action. Here, near the end of his own life, he matched his handling of his pencil and pen to the violent energy of the event. By the time Ridinger made this drawing, he was considered the leading maker of prints and drawings of animals in all of Germany. When producing such images for public consumption, he worked in a meticulous, polished style, but here we see the fury that he could bring to his art when working to satisfy his own needs.

Details
Title
A Stag Caught by a Pack of Hounds
Artist Life
1698–1767
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2017.78
Provenance
Sale, Karl & Faber, Munich, April 29, 2016, part of no. 164; sold to Teeuwisse; [Nicolaas Teeuwisse, Berlin, 2016-2017, see his catalogue XVII, p. 84-5, no. 32; sold to Mia]
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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falling stag in foreground, overcome by at least five dogs pulling it to the ground; trees; riders on horses at right middle ground with additional running dogs; at least two other riders at left center; many lines