Horse painting could fetch £20m
2011-04-06 18:01
London - Christie's auction house says it is selling a masterpiece by equestrian painter George Stubbs valued at more than £20m.
The 18th-century artist was renowned for his portraits of racehorses. Gimcrack On Newmarket Heath, With A Trainer, A Stable-lad, And A Jockey depicts one of the most famous and successful horses of the day.
John Stainton, Christie's senior director of British pictures, said on Wednesday that the large portrait - measuring more than 1.8m by 0.9m - is "one of the finest sporting pictures ever painted".
The painting was last sold for £12 600 in 1951. It is being sold now by the owners of the Woolavington Collection of sporting art.
It will be offered at Christie's in London on July 5.