A Lion Attacking a Stag

A Lion Attacking a Stag from 1765 by George Stubbs extends his predator-prey theme to include the stag as victim. The violent subject allowed Stubbs to combine his knowledge of multiple animal anatomies in a single dramatic composition. Stubbs's predator-prey confrontations bring the Baroque tradition of animal violence into a naturalist framework informed by his anatomical expertise. These dramatic canvases appealed to collectors interested in the wild sublime alongside his more serene horse...

Both animals are rendered with anatomical precision, the stag's terror and the lion's aggression captured with scientific accuracy and dramatic force.