The Riding Lesson

A crown prince's education was carefully regulated so that he would become a capable king. Normally this process was supervised by the king, but if he died the responsibility was often assumed by the widowed queen. We see the regent queen on the left, supervising a riding lesson. The statue of Hercules indicates male approval and has been included in the design to assure the contemporary viewer that the future king would be well-educated. Horsemanship was a particularly important skill for military purposes, and difficult maneuvers, such as the one shown here, displayed a gentleman's refinement as well as his ability to control power artfully.