Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B2001.2.122
Gallery Label:
Stubbs believed in working directly from nature, bringing anatomical realism to his paintings. In the 1750s, he began dissecting horses to learn their musculature and movement. His unparalleled skills as an animal painter were sought after by wealthy patrons, who commissioned him to paint portraits of their racehorses and other scenes of sport. Lustre was a promising stallion but ultimately an unsuccessful competitor. Nonetheless, in this striking work — possibly intended to advertise his illustrious pedigree — Stubbs presents the horse as athletic and proud, his eyes wide and nostrils flared, led by a groom whose attentive handling suggests a close bond between them. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2025
