Tristram Shandy, a Bay Racehorse Held by a Groom, in An Extensive Landscape 

George Stubbs made this painting of Tristram Shandy in oil on canvas. While these materials are traditional to fine art, Stubbs' approach was anything but. Look at the horse’s musculature, rendered with the same meticulous detail a surgeon might bring to an anatomical drawing. Stubbs actually dissected horses to learn their anatomy, and he published "The Anatomy of the Horse" in 1766. This knowledge informs every brushstroke, lending the animal an almost sculptural presence. But it’s not just about accuracy. Stubbs was also interested in the social context of his subjects. The presence of the groom, rendered with less detail than the horse, speaks to the labor involved in maintaining these animals and the wealth they represented. Stubbs challenges the traditional hierarchy of portraiture. By uniting scientific inquiry with artistic skill, and embedding his subjects in a social landscape, Stubbs transcends the boundaries between art, craft, and social commentary.