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by
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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The paintings of George Stubbs underline his qualities as one of the greatest British painters of the 18th century

Stubbs' Role within British Art

Few artists have shown more of a love for the British countryside through art than Stubbs, placing him in a similar category to the likes of Turner and Constable.

Whilst holding exceptional skills as a draughtsman, it is undoubtably his paintings that remain most memorable from his extensive career.

Despite the beauty of the paintings found in this section, Stubbs received little or no training. Several influential friends would have inspired much of his work from his early days in Liverpool.

Conventional techniques

At his peak Stubbs preferred oil on canvas, sometimes adding pine resins. The painting techniques used by the artist are considered by most to be fairly conventional, just with an unusually high level of craft.

Victoria Pemberton-Pigott, a respected art historian proclaimed:

"...Stubbs' customary procedure was first to lay in the animals with a very liquid or dilute paint, probably a drying oil extended by pine resin, which he treated in the manner of a translucent watercolour wash..."

Incredible attention to detail

Stubbs would then start to build detail upon these lighter shades. Finally he would add a strong element of light to the subject before moving on to other areas of the painting. Later additions to his work would be heavier paints which draw out a greater contrast across the finished work.

Considerable years have passed since George Stubbs' career took off and for this reason it is necessary to use ultraviolet light to extract some of the more subtle intracies of the artist's technique. His use of a fluorescing medium cross the majority of his canvases is viewed as fairly unique.

Standing the test of time

This finishing technique has also helped to keep many of the paintings in remarkably good condition when compared to other artists from the 18th century. Whilst its impact from an artistic sense has long since faded away, it has ensured that many of Stubbs' artworks are not yet in any real need of restoration.


Self Portrait I George Stubbs
Self Portrait I
Self Portrait II George Stubbs
Self Portrait II
A Water Spaniel George Stubbs
A Water Spaniel
Brown and White Norfolk or Water Spaniel George Stubbs
Brown and White Norfolk or Water Spaniel
Five Brood Mares George Stubbs
Five Brood Mares
Freeman the Earl of Clarendon's Gamekeeper with a Dying Doe and Hound George Stubbs
Freeman the Earl of Clarendon's Gamekeeper with a Dying Doe and Hound
Hambletonian George Stubbs
Hambletonian
Harvest George Stubbs
Harvest
Hay Makers George Stubbs
Hay Makers
Horse Devoured by a Lion George Stubbs
Horse Devoured by a Lion
Hound and Bitch in a Landscape George Stubbs
Hound and Bitch in a Landscape
Lady Reading in a Wooded Park George Stubbs
Lady Reading in a Wooded Park
Laetitia Lady Lade George Stubbs
Laetitia Lady Lade
Lord and Lady in a Phaeton George Stubbs
Lord and Lady in a Phaeton
Mares and Foals under an Oak Tree George Stubbs
Mares and Foals under an Oak Tree
Melbourne and Milbanke Families George Stubbs
Melbourne and Milbanke Families
Park Phaeton with a Pair of Cream Pontes in Charge of a Stable Lad with a Dog George Stubbs
Park Phaeton with a Pair of Cream Pontes in Charge of a Stable Lad with a Dog
Pavian and Albino Makake George Stubbs
Pavian and Albino Makake
Portrait of a Huntsman George Stubbs
Portrait of a Huntsman
Portrait of a Monkey George Stubbs
Portrait of a Monkey
Portrait of Isabella Saltonstall George Stubbs
Portrait of Isabella Saltonstall
Portrait of John Nelthorpe as a Child George Stubbs
Portrait of John Nelthorpe as a Child
Portrait of Richard Wedgewood George Stubbs
Portrait of Richard Wedgewood
Prince of Wales Phaeton George Stubbs
Prince of Wales Phaeton
Pumpkin with a Stable Lad George Stubbs
Pumpkin with a Stable Lad
Red Deer Stag and Hind George Stubbs
Red Deer Stag and Hind
Sir John Nelthorpe 6th Baronet out Shooting with his Dogs in Barton Field Lincolnshire George Stubbs
Sir John Nelthorpe 6th Baronet out Shooting with his Dogs in Barton Field Lincolnshire
Sleeping Leopard George Stubbs
Sleeping Leopard
Soldiers of the 10th Dragoon George Stubbs
Soldiers of the 10th Dragoon
The Grosvenor Hunt George Stubbs
The Grosvenor Hunt
The Hunters Leave Southill George Stubbs
The Hunters Leave Southill
The Moose George Stubbs
The Moose
Two Bay Mares and a Grey Pony in a Landscape George Stubbs
Two Bay Mares and a Grey Pony in a Landscape
Zebra George Stubbs
Zebra