Paard Verzameld Collective meets George Stubbs | Meetup 2020
Twenty-six equine artists, six different nationalities, all sharing the same goal. Meeting Whistlejacket at the Mauritshuis museum in the Netherlands.
For some it’s the first time they come face to face with George Stubbs’ masterpiece Whistlejacket. The reaction is as expected. An overwhelming feeling of knowing you’re looking at something quite special and unique. The sheer size, the vibrant copper colour of his coat and that piercing stare. The most heard comment in the room? ‘There is nothing else like it, it’s simply amazing’ and I agree.
Bonding over Dutch ‘Stroopwafels’
The day started with a ‘get to know each other’ over coffee and Dutch ‘stroopwafels’. After this we had a wonderful guided tour with Caroline of the museum. After an introduction to the artist, we toured the gallery examining the works and of course Eclipse, the famous skeleton of Britain’s most successful racehorse, who Stubbs also portrayed. Of course you can’t function on an empty stomach, so the group was served a delicious lunch at the museum’s lunchroom. The afternoon was spent winding down discovering the masterpieces the museum is known for. Work by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, Holbein and Potter, to name a few, all in the sumptuous setting of the Mauritshuis museum.
Twenty-six kindred spirits
Yesterday was a wonderful meeting between twentysix kindred spirits. People who seem to get along seamlessly even if they haven’t met before. Being in touch online everyday with Collective members makes connecting in real life so much easier.
The last couple of months the Collective have been living, breathing and dreaming about the work of Stubbs. Reading up on what inspired this man from Liverpool; what drove his obsessions with horses and to what lengths did he go to study his subjects. This is something most artists in the group can relate too. Although they all agreed that none of them would feel comfortable dissecting horses in a farmhouse, something Stubbs, with assistance of his common law wife Mary Spencer, had less trouble with.
Because he recorded his findings meticulously in a series of etchings in the book ‘Anatomy of the Horse’, no equine artists will ever have too.
Art on!
We look back on an inspiring, incredible and invigorating day which will undoubtedly make our Collective an even stronger force in the equine art world. Power in numbers and in positive energy! Or in the words of Collective member Jenai Davis ‘Art on!’
A big thank you goes out to the Mauritshuis museum for accommodating us, to Caroline for the wonderful tour in the exhibit and to photographer Remco van der Kruis of Proper Pictures for documenting our day!
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Content copyright ©2020 by Joyce Ter Horst/Paard Verzameld. All rights reserved. The Paard Verzameld platform for equine art ®, Paard Verzameld Collective ® logo are registered trademarks. All rights reserved, 2020.
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