On the Road to Chartres
The wool tapestry On the Road to Chartres (1983) depicts man and horse en route to the town of Chartres in France, home to a magnificent Catholic cathedral. The title alludes to this location as a site of pilgrimage. Frink was a Christian who described herself as alienated from the Catholic faith in which she had been brought up. Nevertheless, she retained a strong Christian belief, completing several commissions for churches and cathedrals throughout her career.
By the mid-1960s, Frink had become fascinated with depicting the classical male nude, as well as the relationship between man and horse. Together with dogs, Frink describes how horses have been the closest companions of man throughout history. Works such as On the Road to Chartres explore the supportive relationship between man and animal. In some works, the man is stronger, and in others the man relies on the horse. The dual anatomy of man and horse are explored through the refined simplicity of line and form.
