I had the pleasure of visiting the newly-renovated Yale Art Gallery on Sunday, March 11^th. Since the renovation, the building is brighter, more open, and much easier to navigate. Admission is free, and you can also borrow a wonderful audio guide from the kiosk located in the front. Many of the art pieces have a number in the placard in it, and by typing this number into your keypad, you can hear a short description of the artwork in question. I was able to get one for each member in my party, all for no charge. You simply sign them out and return them when you're done. You'll have to forgive the low quality of the pictures for this first paper. Upon arriving at the Yale Art Gallery, I discovered that I had left the battery for my camera in the charger at home, and was forced to use my cellphone instead.

The museum is mostly dull earth tones and cement, but I found this effective, as it drew your eyes to the artwork, rather than the architecture of the museum itself. Directly off the main lobby of the museum is the current display of modern art. This is where the renovation is truly noticeable, as the once dark museum is almost stunningly bright, with three full sides of floor to ceiling windows. Upstairs is where the current exhibit of African Tribal art is, which I would recommend to anyone. The painting that I selected was found on the second floor, titled “A Lion Attacking a Horse,” painted by George Stubbs in 1770.

George Stubbs was born in Liverpool, England in 1724. Amazingly, Stubbs never truly had any formal artistic training, and aside from a brief apprenticeship, was basically self taught. (Stubbs 1) Being the son of a tanner, Stubbs had a natural interest in animal anatomy, particularly the horse, and this interest is apparent in many of his works. Indeed, Stubbs approached anatomy much like a scientist, and would frequently hang the carcass of a horse on hooks in his workshop to better understand their musculature. (Stubbs 1) This extreme devotion to precise anatomy is evident in many of Stubbs most famous works, depicting a horse being frightened or attacked by a lion.

Upon seeing the painting for the first time, your eyes are immediately focused on the sharp white of the horse being attacked, which forms a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding it. It is only after one moves closer to the painting that the lion, almost completely concealed by shadows, even becomes noticeable. Upon closer examination, Stubbs amazing attention to detail becomes readily apparent. The horse is painted in stunning detail, with flaring nostrils and fear in its eyes. The mane of both the lion and horse are also excruciatingly detailed, and the muscles, in particular, show Stubbs devotion to precise anatomy. The muscles in the belly and hind legs of the horse are especially impressive, and show Stubbs skill for painting in extreme detail.

Contrasting this precise detail, the landscape around the horse is much less detailed. By using larger brushes, Stubbs creates a dark and turbulent landscape that helps focus the viewers eyes on the foreground, where the action is taking place. (Audio Guide, Yale Art Gallery) Compounded with the sharp white of the horse, the viewer is practically forced to view the frightening image in the foreground of the painting.

With his color choice, particularly in the white of the horse, Stubbs turns his painting into an expression of the sublime, which was a popular movement in the 18^th century. This belief held that a violent, frightening image would provoke a much more thought-provoking response than a tranquil scene. (Audio Guide, Yale Art Gallery) By taking this pure, white horse, and showing it being attacked by a vicious creature hidden mostly in shadows, Stubbs is hoping to stun his audience into profound thought. The lion in this painting appears almost evil, a creature made almost entirely of fangs and claws, waiting to prey on the innocent. I remember being struck by the face of the lion, shrouded in darkness, with nothing but its fangs readily apparent to the observer.

George Stubbs is an impressively detailed artist, and “A Lion Attacking a Horse” is a powerful work of art. By drawing the viewers eyes directly to the foreground of the painting where the action is taking place, Stubbs successfully expresses the idea of the sublime, and forces the viewer to entertain some profound thoughts. By painting the horse bright white, and having the lion shrouded in shadows, the viewer entertains thoughts of the battle between good and evil, among other things. It is a work that is definitely worth closer examination.

Works Cited

"Stubbs, George." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2007.

Free Audio Guide at Yale Art Gallery