Captain Samuel Sharpe Pocklington with His Wife, Pleasance, and possibly His Sister, Frances 1769

George Stubbs’s “Captain Samuel Sharpe Pocklington with His Wife, Pleasance, and possibly His Sister, Frances” is a portrait painting that depicts Captain Pocklington with his wife and a possible sister. The painting is a fine example of portraiture by the celebrated English artist, known for his anatomical studies of horses. It is a testament to Stubbs’s talent that the painting appears as a relaxed portrait of a family enjoying a peaceful moment, rather than an official, stuffy commissioned piece. The painting captures a slice of everyday life in the 18th century through the depiction of this influential family in an idyllic setting, with a picturesque landscape in the background.