Artwork
Accession Number
983.845a-bDescription
A framed lithographic print depicting a multitude of people enjoying the horse races and other outdoor activities.Narrative
This print is made from an engraved steel plate. Prints of this type are often referred to as “engravings.”Artist William Frith started painting the original picture in 1856. The actual painting is sizable: 1016 x 2235 mm. It is owned by the Tate Gallery in London, England. Their 2004 exhibition label for this work reads:
"The Derby Day presents a satirical panorama of modern Victorian life. When it was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1858, it proved so popular that a rail had to be put up to keep back the crowds. There are three main incidents. On the far left a group of men in top hats focus on the ‘thimble-rigger ‘with his table. In the centre is an acrobat and his son, who looks longingly at a sumptuous picnic being laid out by a footman. Behind them are carriages filled with race goers, including, on the far right, the mistress of a man leaning against the carriage."
The engraver was Auguste Thomas Marie Blanchard (French, 1819-1898).
