George Stubbs
- Artist: George Stubbs
- Date: 1781
- Medium: enamel
- Dimensions: 27 1/2 in. x 20 7/8 in. (697 mm x 531 mm) oval
- Portrays: George Stubbs
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
In front of you sits a self‑portrait by George Stubbs, rendered in enamel on a Wedgwood ceramic plaque. The oval shape brings the painter close; his face is luminous, catching light from every angle. Notice how the palette glows against the subtle glaze that covers this porcelain surface—a technique he also used on copper and other materials. The frame is an elegant neoclassical design typical of Stubbs’s early enamel works; it was conceived by Josiah Wedgwood with partner Thomas Bentley and may have been framed by Thomas Vials. Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1782, a contemporary reviewer praised its life‑size likeness. This painting shows Stubbs as both artist and scientist, blending precise anatomy with exquisite surface work.
See it in person
George Stubbs is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
