Published on April 1, 2026
Britain’s greatest painter of animal anatomy receives a tiny survey in a single room, while his masterpiece remains on show elsewhere in the building. Why, when he’s as good as Constable—and better than Blake?
Everything keeps getting simpler and shallower—even exhibitions at the National Gallery. A decade ago, if it put on a show about George Stubbs, the 18th-century painter of the natural world, you’d expect a thorough survey of the Liverpool-born artist who created a vast number of exceptional portraits of animals—not just horses but also a zebra, a kangaroo, and a rhinoceros. However, in 2026, the National presents him with a single room aimed at the most incurious of audiences.
It is certainly a beautiful room. Towering at the center is a spectacular painting of a riderless, unsaddled, rearing horse called Scrub. As you contemplate his chestnut flanks, something extraordinary happens: a network of veins becomes visible, and the ribcage materializes like an X-ray. Look to the left, and you will see where Stubbs got such an uncanny ability to see inside Scrub. Some of the stunning drawings he created as research for his 1766 book, “The Anatomy of the Horse,” hang against the dark green wall like spectres. Stubbs meticulously disassembled these horses, secluding himself in a cottage in Lincolnshire where he could suspend their carcasses and reverently eviscerate them. The flayed, dissected bodies possess a mysterious dignity.
Despite the allure of this single exhibit, the limited scope raises questions about the broader appreciation of Stubbs’ oeuvre. His work deserves more than the cursory glance afforded to it. Within a single room, the complexity and talent of Stubbs are evident, yet the presentation feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the narrative of one of Britain’s most important artists.
To truly appreciate Stubbs’ legacy, a more comprehensive examination of his contributions to animal portraiture, anatomy, and the evolution of natural history painting is warranted. The art world has a tendency to overlook the profound influence his work continues to hold, and an expanded exhibition could serve as a much-needed reminder of his brilliance and relevance.
As the National Gallery continues to curate its collections, one can only hope that future exhibitions provide the time and space necessary to showcase artists like George Stubbs in a manner befitting their significant impact on art and science alike. The magnificent nag called Scrub, and the genius of Stubbs that he represents, deserves a longer canter.
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