Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse – National Gallery, London

The National Gallery uses a display space to build a small exhibition around a monumental painting by George Stubbs. But for once I could have done with a bit more.

Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse

Regular readers know that I love small collection displays or exhibitions at institutions like the National Gallery, Courtauld Gallery and Wallace Collection. In fact that’s often my primary purpose when I go to the National Gallery. But it’s not what I thought I was getting on this occasion. I don’t know how the misunderstanding occurred, but I was expecting a full-scale, paid exhibition about George Stubbs. It would have been about time – I don’t remember seeing anything like that as long as I’ve lived in the UK. But I found upon arriving that this was a smaller, and free, affair.

Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse is organised around the loan of one equestrian portrait in particular, that of Scrub. Like Whistlejacket, subject of another famous work by Stubbs that is in the National Gallery’s permanent collection, Scrub was a former racehorse belonging to the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham. It’s the last life-sized portrait of a horse by Stubbs to remain in private hands. To honour the painting’s rare public appearance, the National Gallery have put it together with two smaller paintings from private collections, and a series of drawings from the Royal Academy.

Interestingly, Stubbs would have been a member of the RA, having been elected to it in 1780, except that he refused to submit a diploma work (a condition of becoming an Academician). He seems to have been a rather idiosyncratic sort, generally. Born in Liverpool in 1724, Stubbs was a self-taught artist. His father, a currier (part of the leather trade) was not initially keen on his son’s career choice. Stubbs had a passion for anatomy, and at some point in his career began to focus particularly on horses. He spent years dissecting horses and working on what would be published as The Anatomy of the Horse. When he couldn’t find an engraver good enough to do his drawings justice, he taught himself to engrave, too.

A Nice, if Limited, Exhibition

The National Gallery’s exhibition contains several working drawings, showing just how meticulous these anatomical studies were. The two additional paintings serve to show how Stubbs imbued his works with each horse’s (or sheep’s) individual personality. And Scrub is impressive, rearing off the canvas in front of a noble (if slightly bland) landscape.

For me though, there just wasn’t quite enough content. It seems a bit of a shame not to have Scrub on view near Whistlejacket. The juxtaposition would surely highlight how the plain background of the latter elevates the painting. And two full-sized horses would also be an impressive sight. I wanted a couple of rooms, a few more paintings, a bit more to work with. The size of the room versus the size of the canvas made the whole thing feel a bit oppressive.

Maybe, if this display gets enough traction, it could be the precursor to something bigger. I’d like to see an exhibition that does justice to Stubbs’ range both when it comes to horses, and to other subjects besides. I do like opportunities to see works not normally in the public eye, though, and this one ticks that box three times over. So if you’re already planning to be in the vicinity, it’s worth popping in to see it.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 3/5

Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse on until 31 May 2026