The painting of Whistlejacket by George Stubbs is one of the west's most iconic horse portraits. Hung in London's National Gallery, it is a must-see work of art for many visitors, but how did it come to be so famous?
George Stubbs
George Stubbs was born in Liverpool in 1762 the son of a leatherworker. As such he was used to the smells and presence of animal hides so that being someone who took his work seriously, when he came to paint horses he had no qualms about hanging their stinking carcases in his workshop the better to study them.
Briefly apprenticed to a painter, he was impatient with the drudgery of copying other people's work and moving to York he instead studied anatomy at the hospital. It was here that a happy patronage with the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham was forged.
Charles Watson Wentworth 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
The Marquess of Rockingham was descended from the Earl of Strafford, immortalised by his execution on the reluctant orders of King Charles 1st. Rockingham was an important leader of the Whig faction in the English Parliament, twice serving as prime minister. He inherited a huge house at Wentworth Woodhouse near to Rotherham in Yorkshire and immediately doubled it in size. Among his additions were prestigious stables designed by his protege John Carr, who also designed the new, much admired stand at York racecourse.
Whistlejacket
Whistlejacket belonged to Sir William Middleton of Belsay Castle. He was foaled in 1749, his grandsire being the near mythical Godolphin Arabian. He was described as a yellow sorrel horse with a white mane and tail although he is more generally thought of as being chestnut, with a lighter mane and tail.
His racing career started in 1753, lasting to 1759 during which time he lost only four races. His notable successes were: 1753, £50 Maiden Plate at Stockton; 1754, King's Plate at Newcastle; 1755, King's Plate at Nottingham; 1756, King's Plate at Newmarket.
At this point he was bought by the Marquess of Rockingham and went on to win a £100 Free Plate at York. In 1758 he won a race, for 200 guineas at Newmarket and his last race was in 1759 where he won his most valuable prize of 2,000 guineas. At this point, he retired to stud.
It is interesting to remember that these race meetings were many miles apart and that prior to the event the horse would have to travel there under his own steam.
Stubbs's Portrait of Whistlejacket
Stubbs made his painting at Rockingham's stables. Whistlejacket was a temperamental horse and his groom Simon Cobb was with him throughout. At one point, Whistlejacket is said to have attacked Stubbs and he had to fend him off with a stick.
Speculation surrounds the painting. Until this time, no work of this size had been painted of a solitary horse. The pose was also unusual. It was believed that the original intention was to paint a portrait of King George III and Stubbs, as a horse painter, was called in to do the first part. The next stage would have been to appoint a portrait painter to add the king followed by a landscape painter who would have completed the background. In the event, none of this happened and it is suggested that Rockingham fell out with the king and changed his mind.
Another interesting theory is that when Stubbs had finished his part of the work, Simon Cobb the groom who periodically led Whistlejacket around to keep him calm, showed him his portrait. Being life size and so lifelike, Whistlejacket mistook his likeness for another stallion and promptly tried to attack it. The idea appealed to Rockingham and so he decided to leave the work as it was.
Stubbs went to live in London where he was in constant demand to paint other horses, stables and also historical scenes. Among his patrons was the Prince of Wales. He died in 1806, leaving one son, George Townley Stubbs.
Rockingham died in 1782 leaving no heir. His huge estate passed to a nephew, the 4th Earl Fitzwilliam.
Whistlejacket sired several colts but none of them made a particular name for themselves in horseracing history. And his name? It came from a currently popular cough cure made from gin and treacle!
Sources:
Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Whistlejacket
Oxford DNB - George Stubbs, Charles Watson Wentworth
