While his father made the Grand Tour, James Hamilton 2nd Earl of Clanbrassill preferred to stay at home and make improvements on his estates, the greatest of which is Tollymore, Co Down, writes Peter Murray
Depicting a man seated on a rock in a wooded landscape, holding the reins of a thoroughbred horse, George Stubbs’ 1765 study, Portrait of James Hamilton 2nd Earl of Clanbrassill with his bay hunter Mowbray, exudes an air of calm and polished authority (Fig 1). Both horse and rider are immaculately presented. The horse’s black mane and tail are carefully groomed, the saddle tightly bound with a cinch. Dressed in a dark blue hunting coat over a red and gold jacket, the 2nd Earl wears tan gaiters, laced at the knees, and riding boots. He holds a crop, his dark riding cap lies on the rock beside him. Enjoying a moment’s rest, Mowbray stands alert, neck taut, ears pricked, ready to be off again. Although he has dismounted, the Earl of Clanbrassill seems equally restless. Mouth downturned, and appearing older than his thirty-five years, he gazes out from the canvas, engaging the viewer in direct eye-to-eye contact. His expression is both interrogative and introspective, and speaks of someone who will brook no nonsense. A cousin of the 3rd Duke of Portland, one of Stubbs’ most important patrons, the 2nd Earl of Clanbrassill was one of the few Irishmen to have been painted by Stubbs. The painting was exhibited in 1765, and, up to its sale in Christie’s in December 2013, remained in the family for whom it had been painted, for over two hundred and fifty years. The sale was a success, with the painting fetching over £1.4 million sterling.
With the recent passing of Ronald Tallon, Seán Ó Laoire reflects on the end of an era and remembers Michael Scott, founder and charismatic figurehead of Scott Tallon Walker
Catherine Marshall assesses the unwavering artistic journey of Maria Simonds-Gooding in advance of her retrospective in Dublin
The class of 2014 is looking anew to the tangible joys of creativity, in contrast to its documentation, writes Gerry Walker of the trends emerging from this year’s graduate shows.