1 00:00:07,869 --> 00:00:10,539 JACK GLOVER: Hello and welcome to the National Trust Podcast. 2 00:00:10,619 --> 00:00:14,409 I'm producer Jack Glover. We hope you're enjoying season 3 00:00:14,420 --> 00:00:17,129 seven and we have plenty of exciting episodes and new 4 00:00:17,139 --> 00:00:18,409 stories still to come. 5 00:00:18,959 --> 00:00:22,430 Today's episode is a bit of a favourite from our archives and 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,250 a nod to a mini-series we released a little while ago 7 00:00:25,260 --> 00:00:28,860 called 125 Treasures, which accompany the National Trust 8 00:00:28,870 --> 00:00:30,129 book by the same name. 9 00:00:30,719 --> 00:00:33,930 If you've not heard it before, in this episode called for Horse 10 00:00:33,939 --> 00:00:37,650 on the Staircase, we delve into the world of horse racing and 11 00:00:37,659 --> 00:00:41,229 uncover this treasures hidden criticism of its owner. 12 00:00:41,830 --> 00:00:45,240 The podcast is episode two of the series and is presented by 13 00:00:45,250 --> 00:00:46,279 Alison Steadman. 14 00:00:53,709 --> 00:00:55,889 ALISON STEADMAN: Less than 20 miles from the centre of 15 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:59,840 Belfast, lies Strangford Lough, the largest sea lake in the 16 00:00:59,849 --> 00:01:03,939 British Isles. As you turn your back on the lough and enter the 17 00:01:03,950 --> 00:01:07,959 Mount Stewart estate, the scents hit you all at once. 18 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:12,900 Curry, Eucalyptus, and the sweet smell of candyfloss tickle your 19 00:01:12,910 --> 00:01:16,800 nostrils as you wind your way through the labyrinth of garden 20 00:01:16,809 --> 00:01:20,919 rooms, temples, lakes and woodland until you're finally 21 00:01:20,930 --> 00:01:26,540 confronted with the jewel in the crown of the estate Mount 22 00:01:26,550 --> 00:01:31,120 Stewart house, a sprawling Georgian mansion and the resting 23 00:01:31,129 --> 00:01:34,690 place of a controversial treasure steeped in the world of 24 00:01:34,699 --> 00:01:37,589 high stakes gambling and thoroughbred racing. 25 00:01:38,830 --> 00:01:45,389 I'm Alison Steadman and this is 125 Treasures, a podcast from 26 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:51,779 the National Trust. Episode two The Horse on the Stairs. 27 00:01:53,239 --> 00:01:55,580 FRANCES BAILEY: My name is Frances Bailey, and I'm the 28 00:01:55,589 --> 00:01:58,150 senior national curator for the National Trust in Northern 29 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:04,360 Ireland. The House is two stories high, built of a very 30 00:02:04,370 --> 00:02:06,209 dark rubble stone. 31 00:02:09,158 --> 00:02:15,300 The great entrance doors in front of me are being opened. 32 00:02:18,130 --> 00:02:22,419 I go under the portico into the entrance hall. 33 00:02:25,309 --> 00:02:29,440 Very welcoming and comfortable. On cold winter days, the fire is 34 00:02:29,449 --> 00:02:33,979 lit. Green walls and a green ceiling. Unusual, but very 35 00:02:33,990 --> 00:02:38,610 effective. And lovely. Comfortable furniture set around 36 00:02:38,619 --> 00:02:39,139 the place. 37 00:02:40,279 --> 00:02:42,889 ALISON STEADMAN: Mount Stewart House has been the home of the 38 00:02:42,899 --> 00:02:48,059 Stewart family, the Marquess Of Londonderry, for over 250 years. 39 00:02:49,119 --> 00:02:52,860 It started life as a relatively modest building, but was 40 00:02:52,869 --> 00:02:56,300 transformed, formed into the imposingly Grand mansion it is 41 00:02:56,309 --> 00:02:59,100 today in the early 19th century. 42 00:02:59,509 --> 00:03:03,660 Largely thanks to the heiress lady Frances Ann Vane-Tempest, 43 00:03:03,789 --> 00:03:07,009 who married its owner, Charles the third Marquess Of 44 00:03:07,020 --> 00:03:09,380 Londonderry, in 1819. 45 00:03:10,630 --> 00:03:13,080 FRANCES BAILEY: There are glass doors on one side of the 46 00:03:13,089 --> 00:03:21,449 entrance hall, opening those now, moving through a little 47 00:03:21,460 --> 00:03:27,429 passageway and into the central hall. 48 00:03:29,679 --> 00:03:33,100 It's an entirely different space. The big octagon in the 49 00:03:33,110 --> 00:03:39,110 centre, double height with a great flat skylight above it. 50 00:03:40,389 --> 00:03:42,800 Pouring light down into the central space. 51 00:03:44,850 --> 00:03:48,199 Columns and pilasters all around, painted a beautiful, 52 00:03:48,330 --> 00:03:55,401 deep greeny blue, set out against the stony colour of the 53 00:03:55,401 --> 00:03:55,509 walls. 54 00:03:57,339 --> 00:04:00,800 ALISON STEADMAN: Frances Anne had inherited her vast fortune 55 00:04:00,889 --> 00:04:05,080 from her father, Sir Henry Vane-Tempest, a politician and 56 00:04:05,089 --> 00:04:09,110 landowner who had a reputation as a heavy drinker and a 57 00:04:09,119 --> 00:04:14,000 gambler. His daughter had more refined tastes, as can be seen 58 00:04:14,009 --> 00:04:16,463 throughout the house. 59 00:04:16,463 --> 00:04:20,850 FRANCES BAILEY: In the central hall, there are four apsis with 60 00:04:20,859 --> 00:04:22,702 sculptures in them. And one of them is Frances Anne 61 00:04:22,702 --> 00:04:32,910 Vane-Tempest. And here she is in classical garb with her eldest 62 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:33,269 son. 63 00:04:38,399 --> 00:04:42,850 Well, I'm leaving behind the great Central Hall and moving 64 00:04:42,859 --> 00:04:47,329 through these great mahogany doors into the earlier part of 65 00:04:47,339 --> 00:04:50,720 the house built in about 1803. 66 00:04:50,959 --> 00:04:55,640 And turning back on myself, I find myself at the foot of the 67 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,579 great staircase. 68 00:04:57,589 --> 00:05:01,000 Just going up the stairs of the hearth landing and actually all 69 00:05:01,010 --> 00:05:06,450 I can see is, is the hooves of the animal, the grass in the 70 00:05:06,459 --> 00:05:07,100 foreground. 71 00:05:08,380 --> 00:05:14,799 It measures about 6ft by 12ft and it practically fills the 72 00:05:14,809 --> 00:05:18,459 wall of that hearth landing over the staircase. 73 00:05:20,140 --> 00:05:23,630 You have to really stand back from it to understand what the 74 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:24,589 painting is about. 75 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,059 It's called “Hambletonian, Rubbing Down”. 76 00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:36,299 For me, “Hambletonian, Rubbing Down” is one of the greatest 77 00:05:36,309 --> 00:05:40,040 works by one of the greatest British painters. 78 00:05:41,399 --> 00:05:45,489 And it's, I would think, one of the greatest paintings in 79 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:48,109 Northern Ireland, certainly within the National Trust 80 00:05:48,119 --> 00:05:48,790 properties. 81 00:05:49,070 --> 00:05:53,679 But it's the force of it’s... it’s composition and it’s story 82 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:59,250 and the emotion behind it that for me really makes it a 83 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:00,269 masterpiece. 84 00:06:00,779 --> 00:06:03,410 ALISON STEADMAN: The painting's story begins with Frances Anne's 85 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:08,649 father, the infamous Sir Henry Vane-Tempest, a man known for 86 00:06:08,660 --> 00:06:11,529 his high living and his love of betting. 87 00:06:13,420 --> 00:06:19,549 And at Newmarket races on March the 25th, 1799, Henry landed the 88 00:06:19,559 --> 00:06:21,860 biggest win of his life. 89 00:06:21,860 --> 00:06:24,690 MIKE HUGGINS: Newmarket’s on the borders of Cambridgeshire in 90 00:06:24,690 --> 00:06:26,809 Suffolk. And it's quite a small town. 91 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:30,470 ALISON STEADMAN: Mike Huggins is professor of Cultural History at 92 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,760 the University of Cumbria and author of Horse Racing and 93 00:06:34,769 --> 00:06:38,040 British Society in the Long 18th Century. 94 00:06:38,350 --> 00:06:40,670 MIKE HUGGINS: It wouldn't be expected really to have a race 95 00:06:40,679 --> 00:06:45,980 meeting in terms of its size, but it's got by far the highest 96 00:06:45,989 --> 00:06:50,333 status in terms of racing because of the people at the 97 00:06:50,333 --> 00:06:50,649 tracks. 98 00:06:50,820 --> 00:06:56,140 So more and more of Newmarket is occupied by ancillary things for 99 00:06:56,149 --> 00:07:00,100 racing. You know, it's... it's smiths, it's harness makers, 100 00:07:00,109 --> 00:07:03,429 it's breeders. All those other jobs are taking place in 101 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:04,260 Newmarket. 102 00:07:04,359 --> 00:07:07,390 From that point of view, as the centre of racing in England at 103 00:07:07,399 --> 00:07:12,559 that time. 104 00:07:12,559 --> 00:07:18,260 In terms of sport, racing held the leading position far more 105 00:07:18,269 --> 00:07:23,140 important than things like boxing or cockfighting or any of 106 00:07:23,149 --> 00:07:26,149 the many sports were flourishing at the time. If you imagine the 107 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,885 cup final or in football or any of those things today, it had a 108 00:07:30,894 --> 00:07:33,415 bigger position than any of those. 109 00:07:33,424 --> 00:07:36,934 ALISON STEADMAN: Race day was a huge social event where people 110 00:07:36,945 --> 00:07:41,274 of all classes mingled dances were held and tents were set up 111 00:07:41,285 --> 00:07:44,375 selling food, drink and even sex. 112 00:07:44,875 --> 00:07:48,177 It also involved a great deal of high stakes gambling. 113 00:07:48,177 --> 00:07:52,445 MIKE HUGGINS: Betting in gambling halls, a unique place 114 00:07:52,454 --> 00:07:56,899 in Georgian society, because it's a thing that a lot of 115 00:07:56,910 --> 00:08:01,010 people do in different ways. Even the middling classes would 116 00:08:01,119 --> 00:08:04,940 play cards and invite folk around to play cards together 117 00:08:04,950 --> 00:08:09,420 for small stakes and for the elite, it was a mark of status 118 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:10,140 and position. 119 00:08:10,709 --> 00:08:14,220 ALISON STEADMAN: For the rich, gambling conveyed the idea that 120 00:08:14,230 --> 00:08:17,970 you were not risk averse. It affirmed your aristocratic 121 00:08:17,980 --> 00:08:21,500 status, showing that you weren't bogged down in the tiresome 122 00:08:21,510 --> 00:08:24,010 nitty gritty of everyday life. 123 00:08:24,019 --> 00:08:29,149 MIKE HUGGINS: The atmosphere on race day is one which is, by and 124 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,609 large, highly masculine, because by and large, the people who go 125 00:08:33,619 --> 00:08:39,059 there are these high status players who are wagering and 126 00:08:39,070 --> 00:08:42,359 betting and drinking and gambling in the coffee house for 127 00:08:42,369 --> 00:08:44,745 cards and dice as well. 128 00:08:44,745 --> 00:08:51,681 Newmarket is attractive for this racing elite who have the best 129 00:08:51,681 --> 00:08:53,539 horses, the thoroughbreds, the most expensive horses. 130 00:08:53,549 --> 00:08:58,469 They make the most extravagant wages and to them a lot of the 131 00:08:58,479 --> 00:09:02,750 fun isn't in a race where several horses compete about 132 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,809 half the races at Newmarket and what they call matches. 133 00:09:05,809 --> 00:09:10,880 Where two men agree together to race the horses against each 134 00:09:10,890 --> 00:09:16,289 other for a specific amount. And other folk will bet on it. But 135 00:09:16,299 --> 00:09:21,179 the two individuals stake an amount. One is going to lose. 136 00:09:21,549 --> 00:09:23,010 One is going to win. 137 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,719 ALISON STEADMAN: And it was just such high profile match ups that 138 00:09:26,729 --> 00:09:29,619 attracted men like Sir Henry Vane-Tempest. 139 00:09:30,359 --> 00:09:35,119 MIKE HUGGINS: He didn't start off rich when he's born in 1771, 140 00:09:35,130 --> 00:09:38,280 he's not that well off but his relatives are! 141 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:43,200 And bit by bit he inherits very large estates in in the north. 142 00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:49,739 He gets coal mines in County Durham. He is a very, very rich 143 00:09:49,750 --> 00:09:52,950 man. You'd see him as a multi-millionaire nowadays. He 144 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:57,390 has money to burn. He's become MP for Durham, but he's also a 145 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:58,229 gambler. 146 00:09:58,330 --> 00:10:03,479 He's rash at times. He's quarrelsome, he's argumentative. 147 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:08,429 He is not well liked. But it doesn't matter. Why should it 148 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,119 matter? He’s got plenty of money. He can afford to be 149 00:10:11,130 --> 00:10:13,090 disliked. 150 00:10:13,090 --> 00:10:16,540 Because of his racing he becomes a member of the Jockey Club, and 151 00:10:16,540 --> 00:10:20,409 he's. And he's making more and more matches, not just at high 152 00:10:20,419 --> 00:10:24,869 status places like York, but also down at Newmarket. 153 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,880 ALISON STEADMAN: The jockey Club still exists today as the body 154 00:10:28,890 --> 00:10:30,260 that runs horse racing. 155 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,179 In Georgian times It was an elite organization of 156 00:10:34,190 --> 00:10:39,150 exclusively male landowners and MPs who, as the name suggests, 157 00:10:39,229 --> 00:10:41,359 ran the sport like a private club. 158 00:10:42,270 --> 00:10:46,250 They were out in full force at Newmarket that day to witness 159 00:10:46,260 --> 00:10:48,650 one of the greatest match ups of the age. 160 00:10:49,229 --> 00:10:51,849 MIKE HUGGINS: The match itself is between the Sir Henry 161 00:10:51,859 --> 00:10:56,140 Vane-Tempest’s horse'Hambletonian' and Joseph 162 00:10:56,150 --> 00:10:58,650 Cookson's Horse'Diamond'. 163 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:04,039 But the match itself is set up. The stakes are made. The 164 00:11:04,049 --> 00:11:10,900 previous year in August at York races. And each of them put 3000 165 00:11:10,909 --> 00:11:13,039 guineas on the match. 166 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:18,452 Interest is generated almost immediately because of the size 167 00:11:18,452 --> 00:11:22,179 of the wager. It's a big wager. It's a very, very big wager. 168 00:11:22,510 --> 00:11:25,650 ALISON STEADMAN: A few years earlier, Henry had decided he 169 00:11:25,659 --> 00:11:29,150 wanted to take his obsession with racing to the next level. 170 00:11:30,059 --> 00:11:34,539 He purchased Hambletonian, the grandson of two superstar 171 00:11:34,549 --> 00:11:37,359 racehorses,'High Flyer' and'Eclipse'. 172 00:11:38,450 --> 00:11:43,349 Today, 95% of thoroughbreds can still trace their lineage back 173 00:11:43,359 --> 00:11:47,869 to Eclipse. The race was a classic North versus South 174 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:52,030 encounter. Diamond was the pride of the South, while Yorkshire 175 00:11:52,039 --> 00:11:56,079 born Hambletonian represented the North. 176 00:11:56,079 --> 00:11:57,619 MIKE HUGGINS: And of course, the amount of interest in this race 177 00:11:57,630 --> 00:12:00,690 means that there's lots of public interest in the race 178 00:12:00,700 --> 00:12:01,409 itself. 179 00:12:01,690 --> 00:12:05,130 Everyone's reading about it. The papers are full of it and 180 00:12:05,140 --> 00:12:07,958 everyone wants to know what the results are going to be. 181 00:12:07,958 --> 00:12:09,919 ALISON STEADMAN: The crowds descended en-masse. 182 00:12:10,169 --> 00:12:12,809 MIKE HUGGINS: There were so many folk wanted to see the actual 183 00:12:12,820 --> 00:12:17,349 match that first of all, all the accommodation in Newmarket 184 00:12:17,359 --> 00:12:18,840 disappeared very quickly. 185 00:12:19,229 --> 00:12:22,979 Every single coach was booked two weeks before, so the crowds 186 00:12:22,989 --> 00:12:25,789 would have been very large. Everyone wanted to see it. 187 00:12:26,109 --> 00:12:28,979 ALISON STEADMAN: The race attracted feverish expectation 188 00:12:29,049 --> 00:12:33,909 as to which horse would triumph. Hambletonian had only ever lost 189 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:38,170 one race, but was only the narrow favorite. 190 00:12:38,170 --> 00:12:40,429 MIKE HUGGINS: The races is four miles so it went right out into 191 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,250 the country so people wouldn't be able to see the start unless 192 00:12:44,260 --> 00:12:50,403 they rolled out to see the start. 193 00:12:50,403 --> 00:12:52,719 ALISON STEADMAN: As the starter lowered his flag, the horses 194 00:12:52,729 --> 00:12:56,770 raced off with the spectators who'd ridden up to see the start 195 00:12:56,780 --> 00:12:59,770 riding along behind them. 196 00:12:59,770 --> 00:13:01,679 MIKE HUGGINS: When the race starts and they're both 197 00:13:01,690 --> 00:13:08,539 competing from the onset. But it was only in the last four 198 00:13:08,549 --> 00:13:12,539 furlongs, which is a half a mile from the finish when they really 199 00:13:12,549 --> 00:13:15,859 started to fight and they were both fighting like mad. 200 00:13:19,630 --> 00:13:22,500 Those jockeys were doing everything they could to get 201 00:13:22,510 --> 00:13:26,200 over the line. Buckle on Hambletonian, then there’s 202 00:13:26,210 --> 00:13:30,460 Fitzpatrick on Diamond and they were both doing everything they 203 00:13:30,469 --> 00:13:31,419 could to win. 204 00:13:31,739 --> 00:13:34,299 ALISON STEADMAN: And finally, in the last few strides, 205 00:13:34,309 --> 00:13:38,630 Hambletonian inches ahead and wins by a neck. 206 00:13:40,429 --> 00:13:43,280 MIKE HUGGINS: Everyone's going mad that all the crowds are only 207 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,570 going mad and some are cheering, some are cursing. 208 00:13:47,429 --> 00:13:50,650 ALISON STEADMAN: And no one was more ecstatic than Sir Henry 209 00:13:50,669 --> 00:13:51,599 Vane-Tempest. 210 00:13:52,530 --> 00:13:56,080 But as this was a match, not a race, there was no gold cup at 211 00:13:56,090 --> 00:13:58,669 the end, no trophy to show off. 212 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:03,390 So Henry decided to commission two paintings from the great 213 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:06,599 animal painter of the 1700s, George Stubbs. 214 00:14:06,599 --> 00:14:11,409 Stubbs had previously worked for some of the wealthiest families 215 00:14:11,419 --> 00:14:15,109 in the land, like the third Duke Of Richmond and the second 216 00:14:15,119 --> 00:14:16,390 Marquess Of Rockingham. 217 00:14:16,500 --> 00:14:21,450 MIKE HUGGINS: It made sense to commission Stubbs to paint one 218 00:14:21,460 --> 00:14:25,679 or two pictures for Vane-Tempest, then to be able to 219 00:14:25,690 --> 00:14:26,400 display. 220 00:14:26,409 --> 00:14:30,869 So when you have your house party, when guests come in, you 221 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:36,440 walk into the hall or the dining room or the library. If you've 222 00:14:36,450 --> 00:14:42,660 got your painting that shows your horse the winner of the big 223 00:14:42,660 --> 00:14:46,739 race and the horse, he is a symbol of your status, your 224 00:14:46,750 --> 00:14:50,780 power, your wealth, your position, your ability to own 225 00:14:50,789 --> 00:14:54,659 the equivalent of a Maserati or a Ferrari of the time. 226 00:14:54,669 --> 00:14:58,950 This is a top horse, just like you'd have a top car or a top 227 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:00,219 yacht nowadays. 228 00:15:03,169 --> 00:15:05,710 FRANCES BAILEY: Henry commissioned Stubbs to paint two 229 00:15:05,719 --> 00:15:08,890 pictures of Hambletonian following his victory against 230 00:15:08,900 --> 00:15:12,840 Diamond and were told that one would represent Hambletonian in 231 00:15:12,849 --> 00:15:18,280 winning the race and will be a remarkable fine likeness of the 232 00:15:18,289 --> 00:15:21,320 horse and of Buckle the rider and the other will represent the 233 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:25,039 horse rubbing down after the race and is as large as life. 234 00:15:25,729 --> 00:15:29,950 And Vane-Tempest actually advertised this and said that 235 00:15:30,479 --> 00:15:34,419 there were going to be prints made of these paintings and they 236 00:15:34,429 --> 00:15:38,989 were going to be sold. So it was both a way of advertising the 237 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,190 brilliance of his horse and also raising some cash. 238 00:15:42,770 --> 00:15:44,190 In fact, the prints were never done. 239 00:15:44,630 --> 00:15:47,630 ALISON STEADMAN: Henry's plan to make more money may have failed, 240 00:15:47,919 --> 00:15:51,909 but Stubbs managed to produce an artistic work of lasting 241 00:15:51,919 --> 00:15:52,869 significance. 242 00:15:53,630 --> 00:15:56,289 FRANCES BAILEY: Hambletonian rubbing down was painted at the 243 00:15:56,299 --> 00:16:01,229 very end of his career, and in many ways, it sort of 244 00:16:01,239 --> 00:16:05,140 encapsulates everything that his career was building up to. 245 00:16:05,369 --> 00:16:09,690 George Stubbs was one of the great animal painters, 246 00:16:09,700 --> 00:16:12,380 especially horse painters of the 18th century. He was born in 247 00:16:12,390 --> 00:16:17,979 1724, the son of a courier, a leather curer, a leather dresser 248 00:16:17,989 --> 00:16:18,760 in Liverpool. 249 00:16:19,299 --> 00:16:23,542 And he was largely self-taught, but he decided that he wanted to 250 00:16:23,542 --> 00:16:25,450 be a painter, and he announced this to his father, who was a 251 00:16:25,460 --> 00:16:26,599 bit dismayed, I think. 252 00:16:27,270 --> 00:16:32,020 But he persisted, and he became particularly interested in 253 00:16:32,809 --> 00:16:37,010 anatomy, in how bodies worked, whether they were human bodies 254 00:16:37,020 --> 00:16:38,330 or animal bodies. 255 00:16:38,619 --> 00:16:43,619 ALISON STEADMAN: In 1744, aged 20, Stubbs driving ambition led 256 00:16:43,630 --> 00:16:48,039 him to study anatomy at York County Hospital. What may have 257 00:16:48,049 --> 00:16:52,119 attracted Henry to the work of George Stubbs was the anatomical 258 00:16:52,130 --> 00:16:53,950 accuracy of his paintings. 259 00:16:54,270 --> 00:16:59,514 FRANCES BAILEY: He then started to look at the anatomy of 260 00:16:59,514 --> 00:17:03,440 horses, and during the 1750s, he spent about 18 months studying 261 00:17:04,150 --> 00:17:09,579 the carcasses of horses, which he would rig up in a barn, in a 262 00:17:09,589 --> 00:17:15,099 farmhouse, and where he was living for the time and over a 263 00:17:15,109 --> 00:17:21,969 period of weeks, he would dismantle a horse carcass so, 264 00:17:22,329 --> 00:17:26,160 take away layer by layer, and make the most extraordinary 265 00:17:26,170 --> 00:17:27,760 detail drawings of what he found. 266 00:17:28,540 --> 00:17:34,040 And these amazing drawings were to be incredibly influential. 267 00:17:34,609 --> 00:17:37,800 What he really wanted to understand was how horses worked 268 00:17:38,510 --> 00:17:41,209 and to be able to paint them better. 269 00:17:41,859 --> 00:17:46,532 ALISON STEADMAN: In 1766, Stubbs published The Anatomy of the 270 00:17:46,532 --> 00:17:50,400 Horse. Its detailed descriptions and illustration of the equine 271 00:17:50,410 --> 00:17:55,180 body were an immediate success with artists, anatomists, 272 00:17:55,359 --> 00:18:00,300 veterinarians and horse lovers. It became the work of reference 273 00:18:00,410 --> 00:18:03,829 for all those working in the field of equine anatomy. 274 00:18:04,839 --> 00:18:09,250 Fast forward some 30 years and Stubbs is still fascinated by 275 00:18:09,260 --> 00:18:13,599 horses toiling away at the paintings Henry Vane-Tempest had 276 00:18:13,609 --> 00:18:16,339 commissioned of Hambletonian. 277 00:18:16,339 --> 00:18:19,849 In 1800 the painting was presented to Henry. 278 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,219 FRANCES BAILEY: Looking at this painting, what do I see? 279 00:18:25,050 --> 00:18:29,270 The overwhelming presence in the painting is a great racehorse, 280 00:18:30,270 --> 00:18:34,489 and the scene shows him being rubbed down. The horse is 281 00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:35,170 absolutely in the- 282 00:18:35,170 --> 00:18:39,060 In the front register of the painting. It's as though we 283 00:18:39,069 --> 00:18:40,560 could almost reach out and touch him. 284 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:48,479 And I love the fact also that Hambletonian being so full in 285 00:18:48,489 --> 00:18:54,739 the frame of the painting, the landscape is behind and below 286 00:18:54,750 --> 00:18:55,189 him. 287 00:18:55,530 --> 00:18:59,452 So you look under his his legs, under his stomach to see 288 00:18:59,452 --> 00:19:04,469 Newmarket racecourse, to see the rubbing down house and the 289 00:19:04,479 --> 00:19:05,300 viewing gallery. 290 00:19:06,420 --> 00:19:09,520 And it's as though he's become a sort of colossus, a great sort 291 00:19:09,530 --> 00:19:13,969 of God striding across Newmarket Heath. He's completely 292 00:19:13,979 --> 00:19:14,979 dominating that. 293 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:22,239 His ears are laid back, his eyes are staring, his nostrils are 294 00:19:22,250 --> 00:19:28,569 flared and he's a fantastic horse in terms of his anatomy, 295 00:19:28,579 --> 00:19:33,280 the gleam of his coat, the power of his muscles, very beautifully 296 00:19:33,290 --> 00:19:33,959 depicted. 297 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,930 ALISON STEADMAN: Stubbs chose to paint the rubbing down painting 298 00:19:36,939 --> 00:19:40,810 first and not the one of Hambletonian actually winning, 299 00:19:41,170 --> 00:19:44,569 the one that Vane-Tempest could have proudly shown off his 300 00:19:44,579 --> 00:19:46,199 version of a gold cup. 301 00:19:46,630 --> 00:19:50,170 But Stubbs wasn't interested in the spectacle of race day. 302 00:19:50,459 --> 00:19:54,849 He was interested in the animals themselves, their personalities 303 00:19:54,859 --> 00:19:58,900 and their stories. When Henry Vane Tempest watched the race at 304 00:19:58,910 --> 00:20:03,800 Newmarket, he saw a tale of a triumphant win worthy of 305 00:20:03,810 --> 00:20:04,589 celebration. 306 00:20:05,510 --> 00:20:08,810 But Stubbs saw something completely different. 307 00:20:10,199 --> 00:20:12,199 MIKE HUGGINS: And the race starts, and they're both 308 00:20:12,209 --> 00:20:18,069 competing from the onset. But it was only in the last four 309 00:20:18,079 --> 00:20:21,500 furlongs, which is half a mile from the finish. When they 310 00:20:21,510 --> 00:20:25,349 really started to fight and they were both fighting like mad! 311 00:20:25,369 --> 00:20:28,219 ALISON STEADMAN: Just yards from the finish line, it's still neck 312 00:20:28,229 --> 00:20:31,430 and neck between Hambletonian and Diamond. The race is too 313 00:20:31,439 --> 00:20:32,619 close to call. 314 00:20:32,969 --> 00:20:35,729 MIKE HUGGINS: Both jockeys were doing everything they could to 315 00:20:35,739 --> 00:20:39,550 get over the line. Buckle on Hambletonian, then there’s 316 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,810 Fitzpatrick on Diamond and they were both doing everything they 317 00:20:43,819 --> 00:20:44,780 could to win. 318 00:20:46,099 --> 00:20:49,000 ALISON STEADMAN: And finally, in the last few strides, 319 00:20:49,209 --> 00:20:56,329 Hambletonian inches ahead and wins by a neck. 320 00:20:56,329 --> 00:20:59,520 Instead of Hambletonian triumphant win in front of 321 00:20:59,530 --> 00:21:03,150 cheering crowds in Stubbs' painting, we see the horse 322 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,739 behind the scenes suffering after running a long and hard 323 00:21:06,750 --> 00:21:07,229 race. 324 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,430 MIKE HUGGINS: In those days, everything you can do to win 325 00:21:11,439 --> 00:21:17,520 means heavy spurring, heavy whipping. Both sides of both 326 00:21:17,530 --> 00:21:20,079 horses will be severely damaged. 327 00:21:20,650 --> 00:21:22,599 ALISON STEADMAN: A writer for the sporting magazine at the 328 00:21:22,609 --> 00:21:27,050 time commented, “Both horses were very much cut with the whip 329 00:21:27,109 --> 00:21:30,430 and severely goaded with the spur but particularly 330 00:21:30,439 --> 00:21:33,400 Hambletonian, he was shockingly goaded. ” 331 00:21:33,839 --> 00:21:36,150 MIKE HUGGINS: There was no need to whip or spur a horse. 332 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,689 The problem was that sometimes these finishes were very close 333 00:21:39,900 --> 00:21:46,209 and both riders really needed to win. Now, when both riders 334 00:21:46,260 --> 00:21:51,859 really needed to win, anything went. And that was not seen as 335 00:21:51,869 --> 00:21:54,300 bad by most people at the time. 336 00:21:54,310 --> 00:21:57,859 There was an early animal rights group, but it was marginal in 337 00:21:57,869 --> 00:22:02,170 society. At that time, gamblers would have expected the jockey 338 00:22:02,180 --> 00:22:05,670 to do whatever had to be done and the horse was almost 339 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:06,530 immaterial. 340 00:22:06,540 --> 00:22:10,410 The horse was the horse. The bet was the bet. And the bet was 341 00:22:10,420 --> 00:22:12,099 more important than the horse. 342 00:22:12,109 --> 00:22:14,750 ALISON STEADMAN: Stubbs is at pains to capture the physical 343 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,579 toil Hambletonian has just been through. 344 00:22:17,949 --> 00:22:21,099 FRANCES BAILEY: Interestingly, Stubbs has chosen not to show 345 00:22:21,430 --> 00:22:28,400 the marks of the spurs or the whip, but it's his- The flatness 346 00:22:28,410 --> 00:22:31,189 of his neck. He's not standing there with his head up. 347 00:22:31,209 --> 00:22:36,890 He's drained and his head is down and he's gasping for 348 00:22:36,900 --> 00:22:42,319 breath. His mouth is open, his eyes are wide, his ears are 349 00:22:42,329 --> 00:22:47,010 back. He's not a happy horse. And you can see that. You can 350 00:22:47,020 --> 00:22:48,339 see that agitation. 351 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:57,150 So this is the embodiment of the horse as a sentient being, the 352 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:02,109 horse with feelings, with emotions, who works brilliantly 353 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:07,089 with people, but who sometimes people abuse. 354 00:23:07,790 --> 00:23:15,589 And what comes across for me is- is Stubbs empathy for this 355 00:23:15,770 --> 00:23:23,069 fantastic beast, for this very sensitive emotional animal that 356 00:23:23,079 --> 00:23:26,790 has tried its hardest, has done his best, has won an enormous 357 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,910 race, has put everything into it. And actually all the honour 358 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,849 is due to him, not to the owner. 359 00:23:35,619 --> 00:23:38,040 ALISON STEADMAN: We don't know exactly what Sir Henry thought 360 00:23:38,050 --> 00:23:42,439 when he saw the painting, but we get the impression that he was 361 00:23:42,449 --> 00:23:43,560 pretty angry. 362 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,959 FRANCES BAILEY: There's been quite a bit of speculation as to 363 00:23:45,969 --> 00:23:49,239 why Sir Henry Vane-Tempest was not happy and was not prepared 364 00:23:49,250 --> 00:23:52,290 to pay for the painting when it was finished. 365 00:23:52,290 --> 00:23:56,390 And something went badly wrong and nobody quite knows what it 366 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:02,869 was. But Stubbs, who is owed 300 guineas for the paintings, had 367 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:08,599 to take Vane-Tempest to court to get the money and the really 368 00:24:08,609 --> 00:24:12,410 frustrating thing is that the court records don't survive. 369 00:24:12,420 --> 00:24:16,530 So we don't know what the arguments were on both sides. So 370 00:24:16,579 --> 00:24:19,959 there's uncertainty about precisely what Henry 371 00:24:19,969 --> 00:24:22,199 Vane-Tempest didn't like'Hambletonian, rubbing 372 00:24:22,209 --> 00:24:22,589 down'. 373 00:24:24,020 --> 00:24:28,800 He did eventually pay for it. But the second painting has 374 00:24:28,810 --> 00:24:32,550 disappeared, if it was ever finished. And that would be 375 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,359 wonderful if somebody could find that in their attic. 376 00:24:36,270 --> 00:24:41,140 I believe this painting deserves to be one of our National Trust 377 00:24:41,150 --> 00:24:45,780 125 treasures, because it encapsulates in so many ways 378 00:24:45,790 --> 00:24:49,709 what we're about. It's about people, about relationships. 379 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:54,020 It's about the countryside and rural sports. 380 00:24:54,750 --> 00:24:59,890 But more than anything, it's a brilliant painting, and it's 381 00:24:59,900 --> 00:25:05,689 exceptional in its portrayal of this amazing racehorse. And the 382 00:25:05,699 --> 00:25:09,170 way in which he has portrayed Hambletonian in this particular 383 00:25:09,180 --> 00:25:14,510 situation is so emotionally engaging that for me, that is 384 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,030 the real treasure of this painting. 385 00:25:27,079 --> 00:25:28,849 JACK GLOVER: Thank you for listening to this episode of the 386 00:25:28,859 --> 00:25:32,060 National Trust Podcast. To find more episodes and to find our 387 00:25:32,069 --> 00:25:38,510 mini series, go to nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts or 388 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,400 you can search for National Trust in your favourite podcast 389 00:25:41,410 --> 00:25:41,650 app. 390 00:25:42,010 --> 00:25:45,849 We've also included a few links about 125 Treasures and other 391 00:25:45,859 --> 00:25:48,550 National Trust books, which you can find in our show notes. 392 00:25:48,689 --> 00:25:51,810 We'll be back soon with a new episode. But for now, from me, 393 00:25:51,819 --> 00:25:53,550 Jack Glover. Goodbye.