The Darktown Fire Brigade -- A Prize Squirt: "Now den! Shake her up once moah fur de Mug."
The late nineteenth-century Darktown prints by Currier & Ives depict racist stereotypes that are offensive and disturbing. The Metropolitan
Museum of Art preserves such works to shed light on their historical context and to enable the study and evaluation of racism.
In many towns across America, community fire companies often marked holidays with parades and contests, including pumping challenges, with a "Mug" being offered as the prize.This print, depicting caricatured Black (African American) figures, shows a six-man fire brigade (all wearing red shirts and blue pants) in a pumping contest to show off the water power of the Niagara company's flower-bedecked pumper wagon (labeled Niagara). At the front of the wagon, the fire chief stands with one leg on the hose coil in front of the pump; he holds his fire voice trumpet in one hand, and waves his fireman's hat in his other hand to encourage his grimacing four-man crew (at the right of the image) to pull more vigorously on the long pump handle. At left, standing on the ground in front of the wagon, a fireman aims the fire hose spouting water towards a liberty cap atop a red/white striped pole (shown at the far left). To win the prize, the water squirt must reach the hat; but this attempt falls short. In the left background, a group of spectators watch the event; in front of them, an official (dressed in a white top hat, blue tails jacket, and red/white striped trousers) holds the "Prize Mug" trophy. The title and caption are imprinted in the bottom margin below the image.
Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888), whose successful New York-based lithography firm began in 1835, produced thousands of prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. People eagerly acquired such lithographs featuring picturesque scenery, rural and city views, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. As the firm expanded, Nathaniel included his younger brother Charles in the business. In 1857, James Merritt Ives (1824–1895), the firm's accountant since 1852 and Charles's brother-in-law, was made a business partner. Subsequently renamed Currier & Ives, the firm continued via their successors until 1907.
Museum of Art preserves such works to shed light on their historical context and to enable the study and evaluation of racism.
In many towns across America, community fire companies often marked holidays with parades and contests, including pumping challenges, with a "Mug" being offered as the prize.This print, depicting caricatured Black (African American) figures, shows a six-man fire brigade (all wearing red shirts and blue pants) in a pumping contest to show off the water power of the Niagara company's flower-bedecked pumper wagon (labeled Niagara). At the front of the wagon, the fire chief stands with one leg on the hose coil in front of the pump; he holds his fire voice trumpet in one hand, and waves his fireman's hat in his other hand to encourage his grimacing four-man crew (at the right of the image) to pull more vigorously on the long pump handle. At left, standing on the ground in front of the wagon, a fireman aims the fire hose spouting water towards a liberty cap atop a red/white striped pole (shown at the far left). To win the prize, the water squirt must reach the hat; but this attempt falls short. In the left background, a group of spectators watch the event; in front of them, an official (dressed in a white top hat, blue tails jacket, and red/white striped trousers) holds the "Prize Mug" trophy. The title and caption are imprinted in the bottom margin below the image.
Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888), whose successful New York-based lithography firm began in 1835, produced thousands of prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. People eagerly acquired such lithographs featuring picturesque scenery, rural and city views, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. As the firm expanded, Nathaniel included his younger brother Charles in the business. In 1857, James Merritt Ives (1824–1895), the firm's accountant since 1852 and Charles's brother-in-law, was made a business partner. Subsequently renamed Currier & Ives, the firm continued via their successors until 1907.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Darktown Fire Brigade -- A Prize Squirt: "Now den! Shake her up once moah fur de Mug."
- Publisher: Currier & Ives (American, active New York, 1857–1907)
- Date: 1885
- Medium: Hand-colored lithograph
- Dimensions: Image: 8 3/4 × 13 3/8 in. (22.2 × 34 cm)
Image and text: 9 3/4 × 13 3/8 in. (24.8 × 34 cm)
Sheet: 13 3/8 × 17 5/8 in. (34 × 44.8 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of A. S. Colgate, 1952
- Object Number: 52.632.37
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Currier & Ives
1884
Currier & Ives
1859
Currier & Ives
1857–71
Currier & Ives
1857–71
Currier & Ives
1868–78
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.