Raftsmen Playing Cards
- Artist
- George Caleb Bingham, American, 1811–1879
- Date
- 1847
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- made in
- Missouri, United States, North and Central America
- depicts
- United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 337
- Dimensions
- 28 1/16 x 38 1/16 in. (71.3 x 96.7 cm)
framed: 37 3/4 x 47 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. (95.9 x 121.3 x 8.9 cm) - Credit Line
- Bequest of Ezra H. Linley by exchange
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 50:1934
NOTES
Flatboatmen enjoy a leisurely game of cards in the moist haze of early morning. As viewers, we are positioned on the front end of the boat and join this rather friendly cast of characters. George Caleb Bingham's western boatmen contrast sharply with the typical image of river laborers at the time, who were portrayed as violent, often drunken, characters. Both an artist and a politician, Bingham was interested in securing commerce and investment in Missouri. His river workers assert a view of the West as civilized and its inhabitants as competent, congenial folk who could be trusted to uphold the ideals and pursuits of the nation.
Provenance
1847
American Art-Union, New York, NY, purchased from the artist [1]
1847 -
Edwin Croswell (1797-1871), Albany, NY, acquired from the American Art-Union [2]
- 1908
Frances Cooley Hammond (b.1864), Pittsfield, MA [3]
1908 - 1934
Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA, given by Frances Cooley Hammond [4]
1934 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Berkshire Museum [5]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is Bloch's catalogue raisonné, the 1986 edition, cat. no. 180 [Bloch, E. Maurice. "The Paintings of George Caleb Bingham: A Catalogue Raisonné." Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1986]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] George Caleb Bingham sold "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to the American Art-Union for $300. Bloch states that the sale occurred on October 9, 1847, while another source states that its purchase was authorized by the AAU committee May 26, 1947 [McDermott, John Francis. “George Caleb Bingham: River Portraitist.” Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1959, p. 61].
[2] The American Art-Union awarded "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to Edwin Croswell during its annual art lottery on December 12, 1847 [American Art-Union. “American Art-Union Transactions, 1847.” New York: G.F. Nesbitt, 1848, p. 36].
[3] Frances Cooley Hammond donated "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to the Berkshire Museum on February 27, 1908 [Berkshire Museum Ledger].
[4] See note [3].
[5] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, October 4, 1934.
American Art-Union, New York, NY, purchased from the artist [1]
1847 -
Edwin Croswell (1797-1871), Albany, NY, acquired from the American Art-Union [2]
- 1908
Frances Cooley Hammond (b.1864), Pittsfield, MA [3]
1908 - 1934
Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA, given by Frances Cooley Hammond [4]
1934 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Berkshire Museum [5]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is Bloch's catalogue raisonné, the 1986 edition, cat. no. 180 [Bloch, E. Maurice. "The Paintings of George Caleb Bingham: A Catalogue Raisonné." Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1986]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] George Caleb Bingham sold "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to the American Art-Union for $300. Bloch states that the sale occurred on October 9, 1847, while another source states that its purchase was authorized by the AAU committee May 26, 1947 [McDermott, John Francis. “George Caleb Bingham: River Portraitist.” Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1959, p. 61].
[2] The American Art-Union awarded "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to Edwin Croswell during its annual art lottery on December 12, 1847 [American Art-Union. “American Art-Union Transactions, 1847.” New York: G.F. Nesbitt, 1848, p. 36].
[3] Frances Cooley Hammond donated "Raftsmen Playing Cards" to the Berkshire Museum on February 27, 1908 [Berkshire Museum Ledger].
[4] See note [3].
[5] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, October 4, 1934.