Firemen's Washing Day

William P. Chappel

1870s · Oil on slate paper · The American Wing

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.

Artist

William P. Chappel

Date

1870s

Medium

Oil on slate paper

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps, and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954