Four in Hand, from the Sports and Art Subjects series (N197) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
ca. 1889
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 in. × 3 3/8 in. (7.6 × 8.5 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.216.197.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century American leisure with *Four in Hand*, a commercial color lithograph from Sports and Art Subjects seriesN197), issued around 1889 by Wm. S. Kimball &., a prominent tobacco manufacturer. This petite print (just 3 × 3⅜ inches) captures the thrill of a "four-in" carriage—a stylish coach pulled by four horses, often driven in competitive coaching parades popular among the elite. Featuring men, women, dogs, and horses in spirited motion, it evokes the Gilded Age fascination with equestrian sports, outdoor pursuits, and genteel social outings. Produce...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company
**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...