Object Details
Artist
Clarice Smith, born Washington, DC 1933
Luce Center Label
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.
Luce Object Quote
"I see the horse as a dynamic beautiful form; a combination of power and grace." Artist's statement, 2003
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Melvin and Ryna Cohen and the Funger Foundation, Norma Lee and Morton Funger
Date
2001
Object number
2003.3
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Painting
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
36 1/2 x 76 1/2 in. (92.7 x 194.3 cm)
See more items in
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department
Painting and Sculpture
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Topic
Figure group\male
Occupation\sport\jockey
Equestrian
Link to Original Record
Record ID
saam_2003.3