‘Growing up at Goodwood, I have always been fascinated by Stubbs. My forebear, the 3rd Duke of Richmond, commissioned him to capture the sporting activities that took place here in the 18th century and it is this picture I always come back to. You can see Stubbs has developed his skill for capturing anatomy, but is still figuring out his technique and trying to understand how horses move at the gallop–their legs are in impossible positions, so they look a little like rocking horses. This is Stubbs experimenting, which I think is rather exciting. The views to Chichester and the Isle of Wight also make it special–up at the racecourse, you will see little has changed. The painting also reminds us that the sporting experiences we offer today at Goodwood…
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Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 12, 2025