Circa 1900 “Carriage Drive” Equestrian Print, Bigelow & Jordan Boston Frame

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A striking circa 1900 equestrian print titled Carriage Drive, presented in a substantial period wood frame and retaining an early … Read more A striking circa 1900 equestrian print titled Carriage Drive, presented in a substantial period wood frame and retaining an early Bigelow & Jordan of Boston label on the reverse.

The composition depicts a fashionable woman driving a spirited white horse and light carriage against a dramatic brick-red ground. Rendered in a restrained palette of cream, black, ochre and deep red, the image has a wonderfully graphic quality, while the raised foreleg of the horse, taut reins and sweeping driving whip give the scene a strong sense of movement.

The reverse retains a period Bigelow & Jordan label identifying the Boston firm as “Importers, Publishers, Manufacturers” at 641–643 Atlantic Avenue and 11 Bromfield Street. Bigelow & Jordan is documented in Boston’s picture-framing trade by the 1890s, and institutional collections preserve comparable company labels from around the turn of the 20th century. The label and period presentation support a circa 1900 date for the framed work.

The artist and exact printing process have not been identified. Although Bigelow & Jordan described itself as a publisher, the surviving label does not establish that the firm published this particular image.

The work is presented without glazing in its substantial dark-stained wood frame. The unglazed image surface shows considerable age-related character, including scattered spotting, staining, abrasions and areas of surface disturbance, particularly across the brick-red ground. The old paper backing is substantially deteriorated, as photographed. Despite this wear, the image remains strong, highly legible and visually compelling.

With its unusually bold coloration, equestrian sporting subject and documented Boston framing history, Carriage Drive makes a distinctive piece of turn-of-the-century wall art for a traditional, equestrian or collected interior.

Title: Carriage Drive
Artist: Unidentified
Date: Circa 1900
Medium: Period color print; exact printing process unidentified
Visible image: Approximately 21 × 16.6 in.
Overall framed size: Approximately 30.5 × 24.75 in.
Frame: Dark-stained wood
Glazing: None
Label: Bigelow & Jordan, Boston See less