Art Funded by you

i) The Kongouro from New Holland; ii) Portrait of a Large Dog

George Stubbs, 1772

Stubbs created these two works – The Kongouro from New Holland and Portrait of a Large Dog – in 1772, after Captain James Cook brought back the skins of a kangaroo and a dingo from his 'voyage of discovery' to Australasia. The skins were used as a model for Stubbs's paintings, which were the first depictions of the animals in western art. The works were first exhibited in London in 1773 and have stayed in the UK ever since. They were privately owned until late 2012, when they were sold to a private buyer outside the UK. The artistic and historical significance of the works led them to be placed under an export bar in January 2013, when the National Maritime Museum launched an appeal to raise the funds to keep the works in the country. These works were acquired with assistance from the Wolfson Foundation.

More information

Title of artwork, date

i) The Kongouro from New Holland; ii) Portrait of a Large Dog, 1772

Date supported

2013

Medium and material

Oil on panel

Dimensions

I) 60.5 x 71.5 cm; ii) 61 x 71 cm

Grant

180000

Total cost

4455000

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

Art Funded by you FAQs

Why is this object record marked 'archive'?
Where can I see this work of art? Is it on display?
What is Art Fund's purpose?
How is Art Fund funded?
What type of funding do you offer?
What does the acquisition grants programme support and who can apply?
How many works of art has Art Fund helped museums to acquire?
I’m a curator/researcher/arts professional and would like to find out more about this work, how do I get in touch?
I’m a journalist and would like to contact Art Fund about this work, how do I get in touch?
I would like to donate a work of art to a museum. What do I need to do?
I'd like to leave a gift to Art Fund in my will. How can I do this?

Contact us

If you have a question about a work of art in our archive, please contact the Programmes team. We’ll be happy to answer your enquiry.