The Speculator

Francis William Edmonds, The Speculator, 1852, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ruth C. and Kevin McCann in affectionate memory of Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States, 1976.114
Copied Francis William Edmonds, The Speculator, 1852, oil on canvas, 25 1⁄8 x 30 1⁄8 in. (63.7 x 76.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ruth C. and Kevin McCann in affectionate memory of Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States, 1976.114
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Artwork Details

Title
The Speculator
Artist
Date
1852
Location
Dimensions
25 1⁄8 x 30 1⁄8 in. (63.7 x 76.4 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Ruth C. and Kevin McCann in affectionate memory of Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Occupation — domestic — cooking
  • Architecture Interior — domestic — kitchen
  • Occupation — monetary — investor
Object Number
1976.114
Research Notes
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1976.114

Artwork Description

A rural couple listens skeptically to a representative of the Building Association, identified by the paper in his coat pocket. The salesman—whose top hat, pointed shoes, and umbrella mark him as a city slicker—promises the couple a better life as he unrolls a listing of "1000 Valuable Lots on Rail Road Ave." Francis William Edmonds's comic genre scenes captured the rough-and-tumble of America's frontiers. Democracy meant opportunity for all, and there were plenty of opportunities to fleece the unwary in settlements governed by few laws. Land speculators flourished as the railroads raced West and small towns dreamed of growing into great cities.

Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006