A Bad Break
John Cameron American, born Scotland
Publisher Currier & Ives American
Not on view
One of many satires that Currier & Ives published regarding horse racing and driving, this shows two harness racers driving sulkies (light two-wheeled carts) with the horse at right rearing, causing his driver to topple, and endangering his competitor. The New York lithographic firm grew from a printing business established by Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888) in 1835. Expansion led, in 1857, to a partnership with James Merritt Ives (1824–1895). The firm operated until 1907, lithographing over 4,000 subjects for distribution across America and Europe. Until the 1880s, images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company.
