Big Race

Clarice Smith, Big Race, 2001, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Melvin and Ryna Cohen and the Funger Foundation, Norma Lee and Morton Funger, 2003.3
Copied 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
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
Keywords
  • Figure group — male
  • Occupation — sport — jockey
  • Equestrian
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.