Big Race

Clarice Smith, Big Race, 2001, oil on canvas, 36 ¹⁄₂ x 76 ¹⁄₂ in. (92.7 x 194.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Melvin and Ryna Cohen and the Funger Foundation, Norma Lee and Morton Funger, 2003.3

Artwork Details

Title: Big Race
Artist: Clarice Smith
Date: 2001
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 36 ¹⁄₂ x 76 ¹⁄₂ in. (92.7 x 194.3 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Melvin and Ryna Cohen and the Funger Foundation, Norma Lee and Morton Funger
Mediums Description: oil on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Equestrian
Occupation — sport — jockey
Figure group — male
Object Number: 2003.3
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2003.3

Artwork Description

Clarice Smith loves horses and has created many paintings of equestrian events, including races, polo matches, and show jumping. In Big Race, she emphasized the fast-paced action of the event by painting the horses and their riders at close range. The huddled figures and intent expressions of the jockeys reveal the breathtaking proximity of the riders as they maneuver for advantage and head toward the finish line. The horizontal format of the canvas and Smith's lively brushstrokes underscore the drama of the race as we imagine the horses thundering around the track.