The Marquess of Rockingham's Arabian Stallion (led by a Groom at Creswell Crags)
About this artwork
The grey, green and brown tones of the rocky setting provide an effective foil for this refined portrait of a magnificent Arabian stallion and groom. The painting was one of twelve commissioned from Stubbs by one of his most important and richest patrons, Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782). Among Rockingham's passions were breeding racehorses and collecting sculpture for his family home, Wentworth House, Yorkshire (known as Wentworth Woodhouse). He was twice, briefly, appointed Whig Prime Minister.
Updated before 2020
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artist:George StubbsEnglish (1724 - 1806)
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title:The Marquess of Rockingham's Arabian Stallion (led by a Groom at Creswell Crags)
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date created:About 1765 - 1766
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materials:Oil on canvas
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measurements:97.80 x 123.20 cm; Framed: 130.30 x 155.50 x 12.70 cm / 40.00 kg
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object type:
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credit line:Accepted by H M Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the National Galleries of Scotland 2002
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accession number:NG 2724
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gallery:
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subject:
George Stubbs
George Stubbs
Stubbs excelled in painting animals, especially horses. He painted portraits and often depicted specific horses with their aristocratic owners or grooms. He also produced open-air conversation pieces, informal group portraits usually of families. He was largely self-taught and experimented in a...
