Going Along a Slapping Pace, plate one from Indispensable Accomplishments Possibly 1811

Sir Robert Frankland made this hand-colored etching and aquatint print, ‘Going Along a Slapping Pace,’ in England in 1811. It's part of a series called "Indispensable Accomplishments" and is plate one of six. The series title is a clear reference to the elite social norms of the time. Horse riding and hunting were deeply embedded in the social fabric of early 19th-century England. This was a pursuit of the landed gentry, a visual symbol of wealth, status, and power. Note the rider's confident posture and the well-groomed animals, all visual markers of class privilege. Hunting served not only as a sport but also as a means of asserting dominance over the landscape. It’s fascinating to see the institutionalization of these activities reflected in art. To understand this work more fully, we would need to delve into period literature, sporting records, and social histories. Only then can we appreciate the full complexity of its meaning.