This stunningly opulent room at Wentworth Woodhouse is named after its famous equine resident – artist George Stubbs' painting of 2nd Marquess of Rockingham's prized racehorse Whistlejacket. Painted in 1762 (a replica of the original sits in the room), it is considered one of Stubbs' finest pieces and a pivotal artwork from the 18th century, thanks to Stubbs' exquisite detail and unusual omission of his traditional natural landscape background.

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​The Marquess, Charles Watson-Wentworth, commissioned Stubbs to paint a series of his favourite horses. A self confessed horse racing and gambling fanatic, the Marquess put a great amount of effort into equine sports at Wentworth, becoming a notable figure in racing and breeding winning horses, so much so that one visitor commented on his horse enclosures being more important and present than the landscaped grounds that were common in such grand houses.

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In later years, the Earl Fitzwilliam remodelled Wentworth, dedicating the room to showcasing Stubbs' magnificent painting of Whistlejacket.