The Flying Dutchman and Voltigeur
date: label: Date made
content: after May 1851
name: label: maker
content: Currier, Nathaniel
label: original artist
content: Herring, J.F. Sr.
label: original artist
content: Harris, J.
notes: label: Description
content: A color print of a race in progress across turf between a brown and black stallion. The former is ahead by nearly one length. The jockeys wear close fitting white breeches, high top boots, and distinctly colored jackets and caps. Rolling hills are in the distance.
label: Description
content: The Flying Dutchman was bred on February 22, 1846 by Henry Vansittart in Yorkshire, England. His sire was Bay Middleton, an undefeated racer, and his dam was Barbelle. Lord Eglinton had agreed to purchase all of her foals for $1,000, and when he came to own the Dutchman, he sent the foal into training under John Fobert. As a two year old, the Dutchman was undefeated. His biggest race was the Epsom Derby in 1849. The Dutchman had not raced beforehand and was believed to be unfit, but his jockey Charles Marlow was able to ride the horse to the win. That race was the only time a whip was ever needed on the Dutchman in his career. His “Great Match” was his race against Voltigeur (pictured here). It was held at York on May 31, 1851. The Dutchman won by a length and was immediately retired to stud after. As a stud, the Dutchman was eventually sold to Napoleon III’s National Stud farm, where he stood until his death and became the top sire from 1855-62. In his career he won $6,575 and 14 of his 15 races, and he is considered one of the greatest British race horses of the century. He died in 1870.
label: Description
content: Voltigeur was foaled in 1847 by Robert Stephenson in Hart, Durham, England from Voltaire and Martha Lynn. Robert Hill, a trainer for Lord Zetland bought the colt for $1,000 after he failed at sales because of his pedigree. Voltigeur was sent to training in Yorkshire and was ultimately win the Epsom Derby and the St. Leger. His most famous race was the “Great Match” against the Flying Dutchman, after which he continued his racing career for another year before standing for stud. As a stud, he was located in Middlethorpe before a fractured hind leg forced him to be put down in 1874 at Aske Hall. His legacy lived on in the Great Voltigeur Stakes, a trial competition for the St. Leger.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
label: depicted
content: United Kingdom: England, York
topic: label: depicted
content: Horses
label: depicted
content: Horse Racing
label: related event
content: Horse Race between The Flying Dutchman and Voltigeur
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Art
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content: Domestic Furnishings
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content: Horses
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.3245
label: catalog number
content: 60.3245
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: image: 12 3/8 in x 20 1/2 in; 31.4325 cm x 52.07 cm