The Jolly Flat Boat Men
Not on view
A flatboat, or cargo raft, here floats down the Mississippi as the crew relaxes, dances and plays musical instruments. In 1847, the American Art-Union purchased Bingham’s painting "The Jolly Flatboatmen" (1846; National Gallery of Art) directly from the artist. The subscription-based organization, founded in 1838 as the Apollo Association, boasted nearly ten-thousand members at this date. For an annual fee of five dollars, each received a large reproductive engraving and was entered in a lottery to win original artworks exhibited at the Art-Union’s Free Gallery. Aimed at educating the public about contemporary American art, the organization developed an impressive distribution network that reached members in every state. The broad circulation of the Art-Union's print helped to establish Bingham's reputation and made his river scene famous.
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