Sporting

Many ball games, such as baseball and football, came into their own in the nineteenth century. These were often first depicted in print in illustrated newspapers, but also in fine separately issued prints

Field sports, such as hunting and fishing, were popular in Europe for centuries, but it was in the late nineteenth century that Americans turned most enthusiastically to these outdoor activities. As it was often the wealthy who participated in field sports, there are many prints of fishing and hunting of the best quality.

Portraits of horses and scenes of horse racing have long been popular with both the upper and lower classes, leading to the production of a wide variety of prints on these topics

Marksmanship was originally a skill needed for survival, but there has always been a sporting aspect to test of ability in archery and riflery.

Prints showing winter sports of all sorts, including skating, skiing and curling

Racquet sports began centuries ago, but became widely popular in the nineteenth century and so many delightful prints show tennis, squash, and badminton.

Along with athletics, individual combat contests were probably the earliest sporting events. Boxing, fencing and the like have a long history in society and a long history in prints

Bicycles and automobiles provide transportation, but also many sporting activities. Prints can show both the pleasure and frustrations of these wheel sports

Prints of sailing and rowing races, swimming and water polo and other aquatic sports are not only filled with action, but are also beautiful images

Prints of many different games, such as chess, checkers, cards, and such

The first of all sports, athletic competitions are still popular, as are prints showing the same