Horse Devoured by a Lion - George Stubbs
Archival giclée
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Description
A dramatic animal study by George Stubbs, capturing a tense encounter between a horse and a lion with anatomical precision.
George Stubbs, a British painter known for his anatomical precision, produced several versions of this subject. This particular composition depicts a dramatic encounter between a horse and a lion within a rocky, cavernous setting. The horse, caught in a moment of distress, is positioned in the foreground, while the lion clings to its back. The lighting emphasises the muscular tension of the animals, reflecting Stubbs's deep understanding of equine anatomy gained through his own dissections and scientific study.
The background features a stream and jagged rock formations, which provide a sense of scale and isolation. Stubbs avoids excessive ornamentation, focusing instead on the physical interaction between the predator and its prey. The palette consists of earthy tones, with the pale coat of the horse contrasting against the darker, shadowed forms of the lion and the surrounding crags. This work belongs to a series of paintings that explored the theme of nature's raw power, a subject that fascinated the artist throughout his career.
Stubbs's approach to this scene is methodical. He captures the terror in the horse's eye and the calculated grip of the lion with clinical accuracy. The composition is balanced, with the animals forming a central unit that draws the viewer's attention. By placing the scene in a wild, untamed environment, Stubbs removes the horse from its domestic context, presenting it as a creature subject to the primal forces of the natural world. This print captures the fine details of the original oil painting, from the texture of the horse's mane to the rugged surfaces of the rocks, offering a clear view of the artist's technical skill.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Horse Devoured by a Lion - George Stubbs
Artist Biography
George Stubbs
He was born in Liverpool, the son of a currier (a leather worker). He was largely self-taught. In his twenties he spent eighteen months in a farmhouse in Horkstow, Lincolnshire, dissecting horses. He suspended the carcasses from the ceiling using hooks and pulleys, peeled back the layers of skin and muscle, and drew every stage. The results were published as The Anatomy of the Horse (1766), one of the most accurate anatomical studies ever produced by an artist. The book established his reputation.
His horse portraits are commissioned works: wealthy landowners wanted their racehorses painted. Stubbs obliged, but his understanding of equine anatomy gave the paintings a presence that other sporting painters could not match. Whistlejacket, a life-size portrait of a chestnut stallion rearing against a plain background, is among the most striking animal paintings ever made. There is no landscape, no rider, no context. Just the horse.
He also painted dogs, exotic animals (a zebra, a rhinoceros, a moose), and rural scenes with labourers and haymakers. He experimented with enamel painting on ceramic tablets made by Josiah Wedgwood. He was elected to the Royal Academy but refused to submit a diploma piece, which meant he was never made a full Academician. He died in 1806, at eighty-one.
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