British - Derby Day

• Artist

  William Powell
• Form & Style

  Oil on canvas, Victorian Narrative
• Location

  Tate Britain
• Date

  1856
• Purpose

  A panoramic view of Epsom racecourse (commissioned by Jacob Bell), capturing a scene of leisure filled with many different social classes in Victorian Britain, placed along the lower half of the image, choosing to rather be interested in themselves, and each other, rather than the actual horserace.

  
  

  Depicted that the nature of leisure changed dramatically in the Victorian period, once just a feature of upper-class life, but after the industrial revolution, it became a right of all citizens.
• Contexts - Literature & Chartists

  As a result of the increasing popular form of literature, with authors like Charles Dickens becoming national celebrities, Frith had become a highly favoured artist for his ability to express British society in a complex, novelistic manner with a range of characters.

  
  

  Likewise, Frith's popularity could have also come from depicting the peaceful mingling of classes, evoking a sense of unity. Since, at the time, the working class movement - Chartism - demanded democratic reform, supported lower class rights, and had threatened revolution on 1848.
• Point about overall - packed, no FP, excitement, yet 4 main incidents/events.

  Point: As Frith has represented a realistically packed scene of leisure.

  
  

  Effect: Piece boats no central focal point.

  
  

  Effect: Establish a sense of the bustling excitement evident within the overlapping environment - engaging the viewer from first glance.

  
  

  Yet there are 4 main incidents that take place in the picture, which aid to express the multiple ways Frith depicts leisure.
• Give point about entertaining aspect of leisure

  Point: Frith depicts the entertaining aspect of leisure

  
  

  Reasoning: On the far-left side in the foreground of the central axis. Positioned next to the Reform Club’s private tent is a group of upper-class men in top hats huddled together in excitement as they focus on the thimblerigger with his table.

  
• Give point about dangerous consequences of leisure

  Point: However, Frith too introduces the possible dangerous consequences of leisure.

  
  

  Reasoning: Positioned near the wooden table is a man, presumably a trickster’s accomplice, is taking a note from his pocket, intending to tempt the ‘rustic-looking’ working class couple on the far left hand side, specifically the man, as his body language appears open (since the front of his body faces the viewer) and his head is slightly tilted upwards to the right, effectively conveying his interest.

  
• Give point about jealous aspects of leisure

  Point: Cutting across the central axis in the immediate foreground, Frith depicts a juxtaposition in positioning of an acrobat and his son.

  
  

  Reasoning: With a crowd keenly waiting, the father, who is positioned kneeling on one of his knees with stretched arms, gestures to

  his son to possibly do an acrobatic trick. Yet, rather humorously, the son, in a more static standing position, longingly peering his head to the right, where a sumptuous picnic has been laid out by a footman.

  
  

  Effect: This would effectively indicate the jealous aspects within leisure.

  
• Give point about boredom associated with leisure

  Point: To the far right of the central axis in the foreground, Frith depicts carriages filled with racegoers. However, another dichotomy is successfully established by the courtesan in the furthest carriage.

  
  

  Reasoning: Presumably (by the clothing of her and her ‘lover’ who confidently leans against the carriage) she is a high-class courtesan parading. But she appears unfazed by her surrounding environment, having a slightly downcast face and ‘lost’ gaze into the distance (similar to the barmaid in Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergere”).

  
  

  Effect: Thus, he might be depicting her as an ennui to highlight a sense of boredom (or modal decay) associated with leisure.

  
• Give MTP

  Point: To effectively represent different aspects of leisure, Frith used multiple innovative techniques and processes.

  
  

  Reasoning 1: He incorporated the pseudo-science of phrenology into his treatment of figures in differing social classes, specifically the shape of their skulls and facial types.

  
  

  Reasoning 2: Frith also commissioned Richard Howlett (a photographer) to take photographs of Epsom Derby, which he used to effectively increase a sense of verisimilitude in this painting. This idea can also be furthered by Frith’s use of no visible brushstrokes.
• Additional

  When the piece was displayed at the Royal Academy in 1858, it was so popular that a policeman was called in to guard it, and a rail was installed to keep visitors at a safe distance.