A Bad Break
One of many satires that Currier & Ives published regarding horse racing and driving, this shows two harness racers driving sulkies (light two-wheeled carts) with the horse at right rearing, causing his driver to topple, and endangering his competitor. The New York lithographic firm grew from a printing business established by Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888) in 1835. Expansion led, in 1857, to a partnership with James Merritt Ives (1824–1895). The firm operated until 1907, lithographing over 4,000 subjects for distribution across America and Europe. Until the 1880s, images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company.
Artwork Details
- Title: A Bad Break
- Artist: John Cameron (American, born Scotland, ca. 1828–after 1896 New York)
- Publisher: Currier & Ives (American, active New York, 1857–1907)
- Date: 1879
- Medium: Hand-colored lithograph with gum arabic
- Dimensions: Image: 8 in. × 14 3/16 in. (20.3 × 36 cm)
Image and text: 8 7/8 × 14 3/16 in. (22.5 × 36 cm)
Sheet: 13 5/8 × 17 5/8 in. (34.6 × 44.8 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of A. S. Colgate, 1952
- Object Number: 52.632.315
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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John Cameron
Currier & Ives
1870
John Cameron
Currier & Ives
1870
John Cameron
Currier & Ives
1868–78
John Cameron
Currier & Ives
1870
Multiple artists/makers
1868
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