Firemen's Washing Day

1870s
Not on view
The two brigades depicted here on Bowery (likely from nearby Fire Houses 1 and 2) are killing two birds with one stone. On the one hand, they are following regulations mandating the regular washing of the brightly painted manual pump engines. On the other, the fiercely competitive companies are showcasing their respective pumping prowess for an admiring public. By the early 1800s, firefighting was becoming more professionalized, and companies developed into tightly knit fraternal brigades of working-class volunteers. Each company also had a fan base, usually boys who hung around the fire houses. Chappel has included two examples of such fans at lower left.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Firemen's Washing Day
  • Artist: William P. Chappel (American, 1801–1878)
  • Date: 1870s
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on slate paper
  • Dimensions: 6 x 9 1/8 in. (15.2 x 23.2 cm)
  • Credit Line: The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps, and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954
  • Object Number: 54.90.496
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.