'The greatest of all time'

Racehorses Belonging To The Duke Of Richmond Exercising At Goodwood, 1759–60

“I WILL spend the rest of my life honing my skills so I can paint as beautiful and life-like horses as George Stubbs did,” says equestrian artist Madeleine Banbury of the celebrated sporting painter.

Next year will mark three centuries since Stubbs was born, but he continues to inspire and enthral as one of the greatest equestrian artists of all time. A trawl through his thought-provoking portfolio of animals and people reflects a keen scientific eye combined with a compassion for nature – from a time when humans had a slightly contorted relationship with the natural world.

He was both an experimenter and an observer, and the detailed accuracy conveyed in his equine subjects stems from his groundbreaking 1766 work, The Anatomy of the Horse.

His works are displayed at galleries such as the Tate and the National Gallery and the appearance of his work at auction ignites a flurry of interest.

“Stubbs’ work resonates very widely and new generations of art lovers and collectors are always drawn to his paintings,” says John Stainton, deputy chairman of Christie’s Old Master and British paintings. “Whistlejacket, which Christie’s negotiated the sale of in 1997, is one of the National Gallery’s most popular works. Generations of sporting and animal painters – from Landseer to Munnings to artists working today – have been influenced by the brilliance of his work.”