Artwork
Woman Riding a Man
Woman Riding a Man is a watercolor print by the Baroque artist Giovanni Francesco Costa. It dates from 1747 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Woman Riding a Man is an etching by Giovanni Francesco Costa, dated circa 1747, combining etching with hand-colored watercolor on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a fantastical, chaotic scene of a woman, dressed in bright pink, riding a man who is mounted on a brown horse adorned with a green saddle. The woman holds a whip, while the man's legs dangle and the horse's reins are tangled, conveying a sense of turmoil and role reversal.
Technique & Style
Costa employed bold, rough lines in the etching, amplified by vibrant, hand-colored watercolors, which impart a playful, somewhat exaggerated or caricatured quality to the composition.
Context
The work's dramatic and exaggerated elements align with the expressive tendencies of the Baroque movement, though its lighthearted, cartoonish aspects also set it apart.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1747, specific details regarding the work's provenance and exhibition history are not provided in the available information.
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