The Royal Collection holds an important group of paintings by George Stubbs; all of them were acquired by George IV when Prince of Wales and all of them (with the exception of OM 1115, 400512) were sent in 1822 from Carlton House to the King’s Lodge (later Royal Lodge) in Windsor Great Park, presumably as an appropriate setting for sporting paintings. This painting was presumably commissioned by George IV when Prince of Wales, though it dates from a decade before the main group of works by Stubbs in the collection. The sitter was Page of the Backstairs to the Prince of Wales (later George IV) and his brother, Frederick, Duke of York. From this lowly but influential position Santhague has evidently risen to the rank of gentleman. he is here shown walking at the edge of a lake in a richly wooded landscape, leaning on a stick and pointing to the right; accompanied by three dogs, an elkhound, a Pomeranian and a terrier.