Tuesday, April 17, 2007

George Stubbs at the Frick Mansion!


On Thursday, March 29th, 2007, I went on a lovely spring sunshiney day walk through Midtown Manhattan. I walked to the Public Library, Grand Central Station, the U.N., Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and down 5th Avenue along Central Park to the Frick Mansion on 72nd Street. The Frick Mansion had pulled together an exhibit on George Stubbs, so I was able to see his paintings of horses, dogs, lions, monkeys, cows, the reapers and haymakers. I also saw his "Mares and Foals," "Otho," "Grey Hunter," "Horse Afraid of Lion," and "Horse Devoured by Lion." I saw this famous 1762 painting, Molly Longlegs. It was gorgeaus. Molly Longlegs twice won 200 guinea prizes at the Newmarket Races and she was owned by Lord Bolingbroke. This painting was on loan from the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. I was very excited because not only were his paintings beautiful, but I had already seen the horses afraid and devoured by a lion and the very famous "Mares and Foals" at the Tate when I visited London. So, it was nice to see these gorgeaus paintings constructed right when the modern thoroughbred was being created in two important cities -- London and New York! Now, here's the important part -- Hailee and Violet are related to Molly Longlegs through the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerley Turk!!
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