Stubbs' Golden Section

It is sometimes interesting to break down a picture to discover why you find it so satisfying as a work of art. This graphic of George Stubbs' Haymakers (1785) is a case in point. Its dimensions are 300x196 pixels. That's Golden Section. (You're not going to quibble over 4 pixels, are you?) When you divide it into quarters, you have four golden-section pictures. The two bottom pictures work extremely well in their own right. Note the man with the vertical haymaking tool. He is in the exact centre of the picture and links all four sections. The lines bisect his body both vertically and horizontally. Brilliant! This is a masterwork of the old school, when artists were artists, not purveyors of tripe. Haymakers is on display at The Frick Collection - George Stubbs (1724 - 1806): A Celebration -, the first museum exhibition of paintings by George Stubbs ever to be held in New York City. It continues until 27 May 2007. Do click the title link. If you're a New Yorker, go.