Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse at London's National Gallery

The National Gallery in London is presenting "Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse," an exhibition dedicated to George Stubbs, the 18th-century painter known for his equine masterpieces. The show includes studies, working drawings, three paintings, and a copy of Stubbs's 1762 treatise "The Anatomy of the Horse," which features 50,000 words and 18 anatomical tables. Central to the exhibition is the iconic painting "Whistlejacket" (1762), a life-sized portrait of a riderless horse set against a plain background. Originally intended to depict King George III, the rider was omitted, leaving the horse in solitary magnificence. Another major work, "Scrub," depicts a bay horse belonging to the Marquess of Rockingham in an imagined landscape. Stubbs, born in Liverpool to a currier, dissected horses to achieve profound anatomical accuracy, combining scientific knowledge with imaginative bravura. The exhibition runs through May 31 at the National Gallery's Trafalgar Square location.