October c. late 18th century

Robert Dighton created this print called "October" sometime around the late 18th century. At first glance, we see an elegant woman, her attire a tapestry of purples and golds, holding a riding crop, posed as if in a theatre stage. This riding crop and the equestrian scene in the background are not merely decorative. Equestrianism was associated with nobility and power, and was a signifier of social status and leisure. Consider the powerful presence of horses in ancient Greek friezes, or the Roman equestrian statues. These are all recurring motifs throughout art history, each iteration adapted to its time, but carrying forward echoes of its predecessors. The riding crop held by the woman carries a latent psychological charge, a potential symbol of control. The woman's fashion, with its bold colors and exaggerated forms, engages the viewer in a way that is at once captivating and subtly unsettling. This print exists as an echo, a reformulation of symbols that stretch back through time, surfacing in our modern consciousness with the same power to intrigue and engage.