A Change of Drivers under the Rule: The Man Who Drives to Win. The Man Who "Pulls" His Horse.

Thomas B. Worth, who was noted for illustrations of horses and horse racing, designed many images for Currier & Ives. In this caricature of a harness race track scene, three men stand in front of a horse, whose blanket identifies him as Hercules. In profile at left, a big-bellied driver ("the man who drives to win") is wearing a blue jacket, a yellow-dotted shirt with a red tie, and a yellow- and red-striped hat; his whip sticks out of his pants pocket. Open-mouthed to reveal ugly, big teeth, he stretches out his left hand to take a $50 bill from a man (center), who wears a bowler hat and a green jacket. At right, a thin jockey in a red cap ("the man who 'pulls' his horse") looks dismayed at the transaction.



Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888), who established a successful New York-based lithography firm in 1835, produced thousands of hand-colored prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life. In 1857, Currier made James Merritt Ives (1824–1895) a business partner. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs, such as those featuring spectacular American landscapes, rural and city views, marines, portraits, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. The firm operated until 1907. Until the 1880s, images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company; later prints were printed in color.