The Prince of Wales's Phaeton

$37.97
SKU: P39454
Description

The phaeton was the sports car of the day: a light, open, owner-driven, two-horse carriage. The name comes from Phaeton, the son of Apollo, who borrowed and crashed his father's sun-chariot. For a smooth ride, even at speed, the Phaeton had large wheels and huge steel leaf-springs, from which the seat was suspended by means of leather straps, which gave it the nick-name 'High-Flyer' and occasioned numerous satires. In some examples the two axels were the only rigid elements of the design, connected by another steel leaf-spring to allow the vehicle to flex over bumps, like modern independent suspension. Contemporary illustrations suggest that that this fine example of British industrial design was regarded as the pinnacle of fashion and symbol of fast living, women drivers being especially singled out for admiration or opprobrium. When the Prince of Wales over-turned his Phaeton, while driving alone with Mrs Fitzherbert, he presented satirists with an easy target. The Prince's carriage here is to be drawn by two magnificently sleek black horses, whose coats and accoutrements match the colours of the carriage and the livery of the groom. The artist explains the harnesses and provides a three-quarter view of the carriage without drawing attention to the technical difficulty of either. This is a scene designed to appeal to the discerning eye of a man of fashion, who in this era would have possessed some expertise in horse-flesh and a more general concern that their mews should be efficiently run and their servants well turned-out. Such things mattered because they reflected on the owner and master. Contemporaries would have recognised in this painting a reflection upon (even a portrait of) the owner of this equipage - the Prince of Wales. We see here a Prince unstuffy enough to drive his own carriage, reducing the trappings of rank to a set of modest silver arms decorating the horses' blinkers. The pomp of a Prince is replaced by the elegance of a man of fashion. The quiet dignity of this scene, supported by the Prince's portly coachman and methodical assistant, is only disrupted by his Spitz dog, Fino, leaping up at the horse, which starts back in alarm. Signed and dated: Geo: Stubbs pinxit / 1793

  • Title: The Prince of Wales's Phaeton
  • Creator: George Stubbs
  • Creator Lifespan: 1724 - 1806
  • Date Created: 1793
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / (c) HM Queen Elizabeth II 2012
  • Medium: Oil on Canvas
  • Provenance: Painted for George IV
  • Object description: In front of a large lake, possibly Virginia Water, Samuel Thomas, in livery, holds the head of a dark bay horse, while another horse draws back from the dog Fino; right a tiger boy raises the shaft of a phaeton, to which the horses are to be harnessed; birch tree on the right, under cloudy sky
About Us

DecorArts is a professional wall art company located in California.

Each of our prints is proudly designed and constructed in the USA, right in our workshop. We are dedicated to delivering the finest quality, craftsmanship, and customer service with each and every order. With giclée printing technology, we are able to provide the best possible quality for the reproduction of fine art masterpieces as well as your personal photos. Our prints capture the subtlest of colors and contrasts, while retaining superb image sharpness.

Want to give the best gift ever? We invite you to browse our Personalized Art Collection, our bestselling collection on Amazon.com. Heartfelt and sure to leave a lasting impression, our personalized artworks are a huge hit at weddings, anniversaries, reunions, and more. Just take a look at the comments left by our happy customers!

We also offer a wide selection of iconic classic paintings -- from Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper to Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night to Hokusai’s The Great Wave of Kanagawa -- all stunningly reproduced with giclée printing technology. Browse our gallery of curated masterpieces, where you’re sure to find your favorites or discover just the right one for your home, office, gift recipient, etc. Have an inquiry? Need some suggestions? Shoot us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Giclée Quality Guarantee:

Giclée printing is meant to produce a product at a higher quality and longer lifespan than a standard desktop inkjet printer. The word was used to describe digital reproductions of conventional artworks (painting or drawing) or photographs.

There are at least three basic criteria which must be met in order for the print to be considered a true giclée...

  • For giclée printing, the paper or substrate used to actually print the final piece must be acid free and consist of a 100% cotton base.
  • Any image that is to be printed as a giclée needs to be created at a resolution of no less than 300 dots per inch (DPI). This is to ensure that the final print has the sharpest detail and lacks any of the fragmentation that can occur with images less than 300 DPI.
  • The last step to creating or confirming a true giclée print is the type of ink and printer used. The biggest contrast between a standard inkjet print and a giclée print is that giclées are printed using pigment-based inks rather than the dye-based inks found in lower cost inkjets. Pigment-based inks have a longer life span that can last anywhere from 100 to 200 years without significant fading.

The Quality : 

The quality of the giclée print rivals traditional silver halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.

With Giclée printing technology, we are able to provide the best possible quality for the reproduction of fine art masterpieces as well as your personal photos. Our prints capture the subtlest of colors and contrasts, while retaining superb image sharpness.

  • We use real wood (non-MDF) for our canvas stretcher bars
  • The canvas depth of of each dimension will be 1.5" thick

All of our canvas prints are gallery wrapped. Your image will be visible in full on the front side of the canvas while the outer edges are either artistically extended or mirrored to wrap over the wood stretcher bars on all sides. Our canvases are hand-stretched over solid wood stretcher bars.

Our canvas art works arrive ready to hang right out the box! We will affix a sturdy sawtooth hanger to the back of your canvas and include in your package: two screws, two nails, a pair of gloves, and a gradienter (small water level to ensure art is hung straight). 

Framed:

Our framed arts are specially designed for both classic art and personalized artwork. Choose from a variety of frames for the perfect one to suit the style of your home.

  • Mounted on back flannel so as not to scuff your walls
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Our frames are specifically chosen to complement each artwork. However, we will gladly accommodate if you'd prefer a different frame. Contact us at customerservice@decorarts.com for inquiries.