Stubbs and the Horse, a major in depth look at the work of George Stubbs, is to open at the National Gallery in June, and will feature many paintings which have rarely been seen.
It is almost 20 years since the last big Stubbs exhibition, and this will be the first ever show to look exclusively at his most intense passion. It contains many crucial anatomical drawings and prints the artist made of horses, which were drawn directly from dissections he performed himself, and were groundbreaking at the time.
These studies inform our knowledge about Stubbs’ later work, and many of his most impressive paintings will be on view, including Brood Mares and Foals, which has not been seen in public since the 18th century. Stubbs also anticipated Constable’s style in painting the countryside and cloud formations, and recorded much of the action of the heyday of the racing world in the late 1700s.
In total there will be fourteen paintings from private collections in the UK and US, 32 works on paper and 35 paintings, as well as two enamels. Favourites like his homage to the great thoroughbred Gimcrack, and Whistlejacket, which is one of the most popular paintings in the National, will be on view together, and will be a guaranteed treat for any Stubbs fans.
The exhibition will run from June 29 to September 25, at the National Gallery in London. For further information, log onto thewebsite.
