Front Cover Glimpse
"In premodern societies, the horse is everywhere--in the economy, in warfare, in politics, and in the most diverse activities--just as the automobile is in other societies. Necessity, power, pleasure: all make the horse a useful and effective tool, as well as a distinctive social sign and symbol. A permanent fact in the Western world, this specific relationship between humans and horses is embodied in the prestige of the Society of riding masters whose Art influences other civilizations. Horses thus construct status, teach lessons of discipline and control, and shape identities, both individual and collective. This is the principal contribution of the collection of essays assembled by Karen Raber and Treva J. Tucker. It is a magnificent proof of the vitality of early modern cultural history in the United States."--Daniel Roche, College de France
About the Book
This volume fills an important gap in the analysis of early modern history and culture by reintroducing scholars to the significance of the horse. A more complete grasp of the role of horses and horsemanship is absolutely crucial to our understanding of the early modern world. Each chapter in this collection provides a snapshot of how that tapestry of images, objects, structures, sounds, gestures, texts, and ideas articulate the pervasiveness of the horse in all aspects of early modern culture.
