Original works of art

Recognised as the best horse painter in England during a period when horse and sporting artists abounded, Stubbs’ work was not exclusively of horses. He also painted exotic animals, and his dog portraits make up a substantial body of work.

The son of a Liverpool tanner, Stubbs received little academic training but from an early age showed an interest in anatomy. Indeed, he lectured on human anatomy to students at York Hospital, and after visiting Italy in 1754, spent four years working on one of his most successful projects: The Anatomy of the Horse.

This understanding of anatomy is evident throughout Stubbs' work, and his many depictions of the horses and dogs of the English gentry established him as the premier animal painter of his time. His portraits of animals, although realistically portrayed, are highly finished and have a monumental almost timeless quality. He exhibited 53 works at the Royal Academy between 1775 and 1803.