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'A Horse frightened by a Lion', George Stubbs, 1770

There is a landscape of craggy rocks. In the right side of the foregound there is white horse, contrasted against a shadowy background. Emerging from the shadows is a lion near to the horse.

Oil on canvas, 100.1 x 126cm

Accession Number WAG2387

Stubbs built his reputation as a horse portraitist. His aspiration to be a painter of loftier subjects probably led him to paint his numerous lion and horse pictures.

Stubbs visited Rome in 1755. Whilst in the Palazzo di Conservatori he saw an antique Roman statue of a lion clawing at a horse's back. This piece was almost certainly the inspiration for the series.

In this painting the horse, tense with fear, is depicted with magnificent anatomical precision. By contrast the lion, possibly painted from a skin, looks rather tame.

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An extended study of 'A Horse frightened by a Lion' is also available as part of our Artwork of the Month series.