Horses: History * Myth * Art

Description

Ever since they were first domesticated some 6,000 years ago, horses have played a vital role in human life and history. Using new photography of the many horses to be found in the collections of the British Museum, this book explores the depiction of the horse through the ages and celebrates the relationship between horses and humans. Featuring many stunning objects such as the Horse of Selene and the gold model chariot from the Oxus treasure, the book also illustrates a wide selection of lesser-known treasures taken from the Palaeolithic period to the present day. Comparing and contrasting images of horses from different periods and different parts of the world - from Egyptian tomb paintings and Celtic metalwork to prints and drawings by artists such as Durer and Stubbs - it's also packed with illuminating information on subjects as diverse as grooming and shoeing, heroes and their horses, women riders, horse armour, and horses in myths and legends. For lovers of art and horses alike, this elegantly designed book will provide a rich source of entertainment and pleasure.

Dr Catherine Johns is a former curator of the Romano-British collections in the British Museum. She is the author of numerous books and articles, including Sex or Symbol? Erotic Images of Greece and Rome, The Snettisham Roman Jeweller's Hoard and Roman Britain (with T. W. Potter). She has researched, taught and published extensively on Roman art and artefacts, especially on jewellery and silverware.