The Races at Longchamp

c. 1891

Jean-Louis Forain

Associated Names
Jean-Louis Forain

Artist, French, 1852 - 1931

This painting shows a horse racing event with a crowd of spectators. Close to us, people stand or sit on chairs, most with their backs turned to us, facing the race. Some people stand on the light brown chairs for a better view. The women wear long, colorful dresses and hold parasols, while the men wear suit jackets in shades of gray with black top hats. Behind the crowd, towards the center of the painting, is a long strip of green grass where riders on horseback race towards the left, visible over the heads of spectators. Across from us, on the other side of the green expanse, another crowd of onlookers is gathered, along with a few cream-colored tents. Beyond that is more green grass and darker green trees. The sky above is light blue with soft clouds in shades of cream and peach.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 73.66 × 92.71 cm (29 × 36 1/2 in.)
    framed: 83.82 × 102.24 × 7.62 cm (33 × 40 1/4 × 3 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2014.18.62

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Tchoukin, 1900. (Durand-Ruel, Paris and New York), 1922. Walther Halvorsen [1887-1972], 1922. (Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, Stockholm); sold by 1926 to Thorsten Laurin, Stockholm;[1] possibly (sale, Stockholm, 1939). Paul Mellon [1907-1999], Upperville, Virginia; bequest 1999 to NGA, with life interest to his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon [1910-2014].
[1] Lent by Laurin to Fransk Konst i Svensk privat Ägo, Liljevalches Konsthall, Stockholm, January 1926, no. 202. Also listed in Ragnar Hoppe, Katalog över Thorsten Laurins Samling, Stockholm, 1936: 203, no. 434, pl. 237.
[2] Lent to Degas' Racing World, Wildenstein, New York, 1968: no. 91.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1926

  • Fransk Konst i Svensk privat Ägo, Liljevalches Konsthall, Stockholm, January 1926, no. 202.

1968

  • Degas' Racing World, A Loan Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Bronzes for the Benefit of The National Museum of Racing, Saratoga, Wildenstein, New York, 1968, no. 91, repro.

Bibliography

1936

  • Hoppe, Ragnar. Katalog över Thorsten Laurins Samling. Stockholm, 1936: 203, no. 434, pl. 237.

1978

  • Browse, Lillian. Forain: The Painter, 1852-1931. London, 1978: 106, no. 26, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: j. l. forain

Wikidata ID

Q20190269

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