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after George Stubbs. Dungannon. 1794. $2250 |
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 “Dungannon”
George Stubbs (1724-1806) was renowned during his life and ever after as the painter of horses. His paintings and prints combine artistic talent with scientifically accurate depictions of equine anatomy. Stubbs spent ten years studying and drawing the bodies and movement of horses in order to create his famous engraved work The Anatomy of a Horse. His mastery of the subject is evident in his subsequent equestrian works.
George Stubbs teamed up with his son, engraver George Townly Stubbs, to create this large engraving. It is based upon the father’s 1793 painting entitled “Dungannon, the Property of Colonel O’Reilly, Painted in a Paddock with a Sheep.” It depicts Dungannon one of Colonel O’Reilly’s prize race horses. “Dungannon was a top racehorse and good sire. He ran for 4 years, 1783-1786, at Newmarket, Doncaster, and elsewhere, winning a number of stakes, plates and matches. He was second in the Derby of 1783 to Saltram, but beat him in 1785 in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket. He also bested Drone several times, as well as Mercury (by Eclipse) and Ulysses (by Florizel). Retired to O'Kelly's stud, he got foals of "uncommon strength, symmetry and size," and apparently made O'Kelly a lot of money in stud fees. He got several good racing sons, who were also sires--Lurcher and Bedford (the latter exported to the U.S.) among them-- and who continued this branch of Eclipse for a few generations. Dungannon was pictured by Stubbs with "his sheep," a creature to whom he developed a strong attachment, and who shared his paddock.” (Thoroughbred Heritage website)
Color printed stipple engraving with etching on wove paper.
15 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches, sheet.
Trimmed to platemark on 3 sides, slightly into platemark at bottom.
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