A series of six coloured lithograph prints by the French painter and lithographer Victor Adam, depicting scenes of Amazonian women, the legendary female warriors, on horseback mid-tussle with various opponents from man to myth. Born in Paris in 1901, Adam studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and then in the ateliers of Meynier and Régnault, contemporaries of Jacques-Louis David. He exhibited at the Salon for the first time in 1819 where he obtained a third medal, then another in 1824, and finally a second class medal in 1836. Later in life he dedicated himself to fully to the art of the lithograph, particularly those of an equestrian subject cementing his reputation as an expert in the genre, exhibiting them widely from 1838 to his death in 1867.
Combat a L'Arc
A half-naked woman on horseback, bow drawn, with a lion-skin blanket.
Defaite de L'Amazone
A half-naked woman is being pulled from her horse by a centaur. Her axe lies broken on the ground.
Chasse un Tigre
A half-naked woman on horseback, swinging an axe down on a tiger biting her horse's haunch. Her saddle cloth is a black panther's skin.
Camille, Reine des Amazones
A half-naked woman on horseback, with helmet, sword and tiger-skin blanket.
Victoire de L'Amazone
A half-naked woman on horseback, swinging an axe down on a centaur. Her saddle cloth is a tiger's skin.
Chasse Avec le Javelot
A half-naked woman on horseback, weilding a javelin in her right hand, in her left hand she holds two further weapons. Beneath her is a recently killed leopard. Her saddle cloth is a lion's skin.
All are signed 'V. Adam' with publisher's blindstamp.
Details of the series:
Measurements: 65 cm x 75 cm
Medium: Lithograph on paper
Date: 1851