George Stubbs, A.R.A. (British, 1724-1806) (after)
Benjamin Green (engraver)
Horse Startled by Lion
London: 1762
Black-and-white mezzotint
16 x 20 inches, overall
$3,800

This portrait of a horse startled by a lion was originally rendered by the preeminent British horse artist of the 18th Century, George Stubbs, and engraved by the British mezzotinter Benjamin Green, also known for his portraits of famous Americans. From the early 1760s to the 1790s, Stubbs frequently returned to the theme of horses fighting and horses threatened by wild animals. To him, this represented the powerful and elemental emotions inspired by the natural world, both frightening and sublime.

Stubbs made extensive studies of horse anatomy, and this knowledge underlies his equine work. A prolific artist, Stubbs frequently painted the prize horses of late 18th Century England, often with their proud owners or trainers. He depicted other animals such, as lions, sometimes shown in natural setting with horses. The greatest printers of the day were engaged to render his horse pictures as prints, including his son.

George Stubbs is represented in museum collections around the world, with a large number of works in the Paul Mellon Collection at the Yale Center for British Art. The Yale Center has a web site with a virtual tour of its galleries, including a painting with a similar title to the print shown here and an explanation of Stubbs' interest in horse and lion imagery. Click on the "catalogue" link and then on Horse Attacked by Lion.