Horse Frightened by a Lion

Artistic improvements and commentary courtesy of Wimsey Bloodhound

Horse Frightened by a Lion (George Stubbs, 1763, Tate Gallery, London). Here is a work by the 18th century British artist George Stubbs who is perhaps the most famous painter of horses ever to exist. He largely painted for an aristocratic audience and was successful enough to enjoy the patronage of the Prince of Wales. In addition to pastoral scenes and horse portraits, Stubbs painted a series of unfortunate encounters between lions and horses. Now however exciting these types of paintings were, the fact remains that there really weren’t all that many lions roaming around rural 18th century England. So see how much more sense the painting makes if the horse is in fact frightened by a Fearsome Hound. See how brave and macho  the Hound looks even if he does have a sissy name like Wimsey as he lunges toward the startled horse. However, unlike the lion, the Hound has no interest in eating the horse, but merely in consuming some of the delicious natural consequences of frightened equine digestion. (“Horse Frightened by Wimsey”).