Dimensions: unconfirmed: 705 x 1019 mm frame: 885 x 1208 x 85 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Here we have George Stubbs' "Horse Frightened by a Lion," a striking oil painting. The horse's raw terror is palpable! What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Notice how Stubbs meticulously renders the horse's musculature. His study of anatomy wasn't just about form; it was about understanding the beast of burden within the socio-economic landscape. How does the lion's presence challenge the narrative of rural idyll? Editor: So, the painting isn't just about the animals, but about the power structures of the time? Curator: Precisely. Consider the means of production of this canvas, the pigments, and the patronage system that sustained Stubbs. These material conditions shaped the very image before us. Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. It gives the painting a whole new layer of meaning. Curator: Indeed. It reminds us to look beyond the surface and consider the world that made it possible.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/stubbs-horse-frightened-by-a-lion-t06869
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The dramatic theme of a lion attacking a horse preoccupied Stubbs for over thirty years. This painting comes from a series of four episodes in a terrifying attack on a passive horse. This is the first stage, as the horse scents the lion emerging from its cave and rises up in fright. The setting for this violent encounter is the harsh, rocky landscape of Creswell Crags in the Peak District. The area was then an inaccessible, wild region that fascinated Stubbs. The scenery makes a suitably romantic background for the ‘sublime’ drama of the scene. Gallery label, February 2016
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