The Daring Hunter, Enduring in Winter

Ridinger’s spirited eight-sided, pen-and-ink compositions for The Four Seasons are very similar to their final incarnation as etchings with oval images, which the busy Ridinger delegated to his son to etch. More hardily attired than the well-heeled hunters of Spring, Summer, and Fall, the protagonist of Winter huddles with his dogs before a fire. His persistence in the face of nature suggests that he hunts out of necessity as well as sport. Despite the bitter cold, he has successfully targeted the most dangerous game: a lynx, a wolf, and a bear.