Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B2001.2.212
Gallery Label:
Muly Moloch, the chestnut racehorse pictured here, was foaled in 1798. After some wins he was beaten in a race at Newmarket in 1803 and retired. He was bred and owned by the Earl of Darlington, who commissioned this painting from Benjamin Marshall, the leading horse painter following the decline of the aging George Stubbs. The “Muly” part of the horse’s name presumably came from “mule,” and “Moloch” is a reference to the ancient god who demanded human sacrifices. This hints at a mean streak, which is borne out by the horse’s uncooperative demeanor in the portrait. Marshall captures the restlessness of the horse, whose heart is still racing after the contest and for whom the brushing, scraping, and rubbing down are disturbing. The men engaged in a discussion on the left are all portraits of Darlington’s employees: Trotter, a farmer; Hardy, his trainer; and Thompson, a gardener.\n\n Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2016