{"product_id":"stubbs-george-1724-1806-john-musters-rev-storey-1771-copy","title":"Stubbs, George (1724-1806) - The Melbourne \u0026 Milbanke families 1769-70","description":"\u003cp\u003ePainted between 1769 and 1770, \u003cem\u003eThe Melbourne and Milbanke Families\u003c\/em\u003e is one of George Stubbs's most ambitious and socially significant works — a sweeping conversation piece that brings together two of the great aristocratic families of Georgian England in a single, masterfully composed scene. The Melbournes and Milbankes were connected by marriage and by the world of politics, society, and sport that defined the English upper class in the age of George III. Stubbs places them in the open landscape with the ease and authority of a painter entirely in command of his subject: horses, carriages, figures on foot and on horseback, all arranged with a naturalness that belies the extraordinary compositional skill required to hold so many elements in balance. It is a painting about family, alliance, and the confident display of aristocratic life — and it has never looked better than it does now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRestoration \u0026amp; Remastering\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original had accumulated the familiar toll of time: yellowed varnish, flattened contrast, and colours far removed from what Stubbs painted in 1769–70. Our work was guided by a single question: \u003cem\u003ewhat did this painting look like when it first hung in the Melbourne family collection?\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVarnish yellowing removed\u003c\/strong\u003e — the amber cast was lifted, recovering the luminous sky, cleaner landscape greens, and the true colours of the figures' dress and the horses' coats\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHorse anatomy sharpened\u003c\/strong\u003e — muscle definition, neck and shoulder structure, and the individual character of each horse were recovered, honouring Stubbs's anatomical precision\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFigure and costume detail restored\u003c\/strong\u003e — the silks, riding habits, coats, and accessories of the assembled family members were clarified, giving each figure distinct identity and presence within the group\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCarriage and tack detail recovered\u003c\/strong\u003e — the paintwork, metalwork, and harness of the carriage were restored, adding a further layer of period richness to the composition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShadow detail reopened\u003c\/strong\u003e — information lost in the darker areas of the horses' coats, the foreground, and the figures in shadow was recovered, restoring genuine three-dimensional form\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLandscape depth corrected\u003c\/strong\u003e — the parkland, middle distance, and horizon were separated and clarified, dramatically increasing the sense of space and English air\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSky drama enhanced\u003c\/strong\u003e — cloud volume increased, tonal range expanded, and the quality of afternoon light recovered so the sky feels open, luminous, and alive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDynamic range increased\u003c\/strong\u003e — richer blacks, brighter highlights, and stronger colour separation, while fully respecting the character of the original\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect for cCollectors of Georgian portraiture and sporting art, country houses, and anyone captivated by the elegance, ambition, and social world of 18th-century English aristocratic life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eElliott Best Remastered prints are produced on premium archival museum stock for the finest colour fidelity and longevity.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Elliott Best","offers":[{"title":"Collector 11\" x 14\" \/ 28cm x 36cm","offer_id":47279071035563,"sku":null,"price":79.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gallery 18\" x 24\" \/ 46cm x 61cm","offer_id":47279071068331,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Statement 24\" x 36\" \/ 61cm x 90cm","offer_id":47279071101099,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0512\/7621\/8539\/files\/ChatGPT_Image_Jun_24_2026_03_18_29_PM.png?v=1782334133","url":"https:\/\/elliottbest.com\/products\/stubbs-george-1724-1806-john-musters-rev-storey-1771-copy","provider":"Elliott Best","version":"1.0","type":"link"}