The Boss Hoss, Driven by the Kingpin

In this caricature of William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885), an American railroad magnate and an avid harness racer, the artist Thomas Worth depicts him as a grinning man with a large head and bushy side-whiskers, in addition to having large feet on thin, spindly legs. He is driving a sulky (a light two-wheeled vehicle used for harness racing) pulled by a brown horse galloping on a dirt road (probably New York City's Riverside Drive) beside the Hudson River. The print's title alludes to Vanderbilt's stature as one of the wealthiest businessmen of his day, who also owned champion racing horses. In the background of this print, a paddlewheel steamboat is on the river (left), and white cliffs define the opposite shore (the Palisades).

Thomas Worth, who was noted for illustrations of horses and horse racing, designed many images for Currier & Ives. Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888), who established his 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, caricatures, portraits, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. Until the 1880s, images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company; later prints were printed in color. The firm operated until 1907.