Animals have played a significant role in Western arts, culture and society, and known more so than the horse. Domesticated in almost every culture as companions and workmates, they have been defined by selective breeding. All modern horse breeds stem from two distinct lines and were developed for specific roles from the powerhouse draft horses to the nimble thoroughbreds.

In the nineteenth century as all areas of knowledge were expanding and potential markets growing, publishers increasingly sought to attract custom with a mixture of traditionally popular subjects and highly decorative techniques. The prolific Cassell publishing house issued The Book of the Horse with chromolithographed plates of celebrated examples of breed.

Introduced in around 1839, chromolithography allowed for the layering of colour to emulate the richness of oil paintings, bringing fine art into the home at a more affordable price. Each colour required a separate stone to be used and the overall effect relied heavily on the skill of the lithographer. An immensely popular format for art aimed at the ever expanding consumers of Victorian society, Cassell’s series have stood the test of time and remain highly collectable today.