Artwork
Race Course at Longchamps
Race Course at Longchamps is an oil painting. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work’s provenance records its movement from a Parisian dealer to a New York gallery and finally to the National Gallery of Art, where it remains on view.
The painting represents the horse‑racing venue of Longchamps, a setting in which a solitary tree appears within the landscape; this tree is identified in the work’s documentation as a depicted element. The presence of the tree situates the racing scene within a broader natural environment, suggesting a contextual link between sport and the surrounding countryside. The work’s provenance records its movement from a Parisian dealer to a New York gallery and finally to the National Gallery of Art, where it remains on view.
Contemporary cataloguing notes the piece as an oil on canvas dating to 1870, created by a French artist of the nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Race Course at Longchamps is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. Created in 1870, the work is classified as a painting by a French artist of the 19th century. The composition depicts trees within the scene. The piece is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1870 by an unidentified artist from the French 19th century milieu. Its early market presence is indicated by a Parisian dealer, Alexis Ottoz, who handled it in the late 19th century, though it was not included in his estate sale of 14 April 1874.
By 26 January 1949, the painting had entered the inventory of the Carroll Carstairs Gallery in New York, which sold it on that date to collector Ailsa Mellon Bruce of New York. Upon her death in 1969, it passed by bequest in 1970 to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it remains in the collection.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., accessioned as 1970.17.1 following its bequest from Mrs. Ailsa Mellon Bruce in 1970.
It was acquired by Mrs. Ailsa Mellon Bruce from the Carroll Carstairs Gallery, New York, on 26 January 1949, and entered the Gallery’s collection at her death.
Overview
This oil on canvas painting, titled Race Course at Longchamps, depicts a vibrant scene at a renowned Parisian horse racing venue. A prominent tree anchors the composition amidst the bustling activity of the track. Under a clear, bright sky, elegantly dressed spectators gather to observe horses as they speed past, capturing a moment of leisure and social engagement.
Artist & collection
