Conformation and the Parade Ring · The Conformation
A Prancing Horse, Facing Right
George Stubbs, c. 1790 · red chalk on cream wove paper
What it is
A horse rises on its haunches, forelegs folded, drawn by George Stubbs in red chalk on thin cream wove paper around 1790.
Why it matters
Late in his life Stubbs was still drawing the horse from the inside out, the skeleton he had dissected showing through the outline.
What to notice
The chalk is heaviest along the belly and the hocks, where the weight sits, and fades to almost nothing at the mane.
Balance, held one breath.
Provenance
- Maker
- George Stubbs, c. 1790
- Era
- The Georgian Turf (1750–1837)
- Chapter
- The Yard Wakes
- Medium
- red chalk on cream wove paper
- Made
- 1790
- Source
- Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection · via Wikimedia Commons
Rights: CLEAR. Public domain — U.S. 95-year rule (published 1930 or earlier). Gated by the work’s own year of publication. Cleared by registry on 2026-11-01. Wikimedia Commons licence tag, read 2026-11-01: PD-Art|PD-old-100-1923|deathyear=1806. The maker died in 1806.
Format
The full-resolution, color-managed file — restored honestly, yours to print and keep.
Sized to protect print quality — this scan supports sizes up to 18x24" cleanly.
Size
$29.00
More from the Stable Wall
Elsewhere in the family
- The Links — the other morning religion.
- Painted Lineage — the bloodline, beside the family line.
- Painted Earth — home ground as a period map.