photo copyright Maloof Collection Ltd.
Who is this cowgirl and how can she be so darned relaxed riding this bronc? I think she's even smiling! I assume the horse was snubbed to the post in the background for saddling, then the cowgirl got on for the first ride. She's got both hands on the lead rope and doesn't appear at all worried about getting bucked off. What perplexes me the most is her shoes – she's wearing sandals. Vivian died shortly after the discovery of her box full of negatives, so she's not around to tell us the story, darn it. I'm going to be wondering about this photograph for a long time.
Here's one more of Vivian's images – it looks like it was taken under the Chicago L in the fifties.
photo copyright Maloof Collection Ltd.
Maybe this big draft horse worked all day and the rider was cooling him down? But where would a horse work in Chicago in the fifties? If you've got any insight to either of these images, I'd love to hear them.
Here are a few links if you'd like to learn more about Vivian and see her work:
A blog written by John Maloof, the man who bought the box of negatives and introduced Vivian's work to the world.
A website devoted to Vivian's photography.
A CBS news story from January 29, 2011, about the discovery of Vivian's work.
The picture of the cowgirl is amazing ... wouldn't it be great to find out more about her!
ReplyDeleteI was born/raised in Chicago, and in the late 50's my sister and I were really into riding. You had a choice of going a long distance out of town to ride OR going to stables downtown ... yes, downtown ... and you would ride through the streets into a park area along the lake. It was a challenge to get there, but the ride was relaxing and fun. Don't know about the picture of the boy/draft horse, but what I'm saying is it wasn't unusual to see horses/riders on the downtown streets during that time.
OMG!!! I love stories like these! thx for the links. My first thought also was "my goodness, she is wearing sandles"..
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Theresa in Alberta
I'd guess that bronc isn't real. Think "hollywood prop photo op". I imagine it's suspended in place by that post. I'd bet there's a horizontal section of pipe that we can't see, and it's being supported by that smaller angled piece.
ReplyDeleteI think Cedar View is onto it. That bronc's tail is awfully relaxed!
ReplyDeletei agree on the posed photo...that horse was most likely stuffed and used as a prop. *yuck* i would guess the horse in the other photo was used to pull a milk wagon. they were used up until the 70's in some places. sad that there were no stories to accompany those photo's!
ReplyDeleteJust wrote a post and *poof* it dissapeared!
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to the Noble Horse Theater, downtown Chicago. I suspect the little boy was a groom or stable hand and got to take on of the horses for a ride.
http://www.noblehorsechicago.com/stable.html
The hubs and I went to the Vivian Maier exhibit in Chicago a few weekends ago. It was simply fascinating! The cars, the people, the fashions. What a slice of a different kind of life during that time period. GO if you ever get a chance to see one of her exhibits. I can't wait to see more once it's published.
Pat, I had no idea you were raised in Chicago.
ReplyDeleteCedar View, I never imagined this could be a Hollywood prop, but maybe it is?
C in Wi - thanks for the link. What an interesting place... and I'm totally envious of your having seen the exhibit up close.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous and Sandy, I'm laughing at myself for thinking the bronc might have been real. Yesterday, I kept looking at it and saying - that is definitely not photoshopped, so it must be real.
I saw the CBS show on her not long ago. Very interesting work and very private person. There's just so much we will never know about her photos.
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I'm with Cedar View and the others that this is a prop. Even as a young rider and one that enjoyed bucking horses (didn't know any better), I'm quite sure I never had a smile on my face, after yes, during NO. I also went to the link to see some of her photos, an eye into the past, amazing. The people (skinny people), expressions on faces...I'm also going to look into this more. Thank you for sharing, Linda
ReplyDeleteC in Wi- thanks for the link.
ReplyDelete7MSN- it looks like a groom and a carriage horse. The link says that the Noble Theater is/was used to stable the carriage horses as well as a riding academy. Is it true then that they are still putting on shows there? Is it like a renaissance jousting dinner affair? I would love to go see that one day.
The first photo IS amazing. She is definitely smiling!
Thanks for sharing.
This must be history week. Check out my post about the Hashknife Pony Express: http://fantastykvoyage.blogspot.com/2011/02/hashknife-pony-express-rides-again.html
and this one too, about the Great American Horse Race by Equestrian Vagabond: http://theequestrianvagabond.blogspot.com/2011/02/great-american-horse-race-wild-terror.html
I don't know about it being a prop but it sure could be; look at the arm coming off the post, I don't think you'd see that on a snubbing post. But a 4 feet are off the ground. I was wondering about the lines down his legs, but they would make sense if it was a stuffed horse. The halter is rather odd too; I guess that the loose browband could have been used for blindfolding. Odd photo.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever find out who she is, please share! The first thing I noticed is her smile - amazing photo. Amazing cowgirl.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought on the cowgirl photo was "why is she wearing those sandals?" There must be a story behind that photo. The young man on the big draft horse- could be a carriage horse or one that pulled a milk wagon. The cars in the background almost look more like late 40's...I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is picking up little bits from the bronc picture. The first thing that caught my eye was the partial front hoof. Now your explanations make sense. The more I look at the horse, the more stuffed he seems.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post, Carson. Thanks for the links.
Well shoot, I wanted that photo to be of a live horse, but too many things don't jive. I looked at some photos of bucking horses, and all of them in that position have one thing in common---tail and mane are both flying upwards.
ReplyDeleteVery cool second photo, too!
Your twitter link kills me. Now I have to spend all day laughing at silly men and their cats. :)
You can see a pole attaching the horse to the grounded pole just under the riders right leg. It runs on an angle. So it is a prop.
ReplyDeleteA cool one at that, but sort of creepy too.
My parents both grew up in chicago neighborhoods. Horses were used for many years for ice carts, milk carts... all sorts of things into the late 60s.
There were many riding stables and forest preserve trails around the Ohare airport area. Some of the trails are still there, but used mostly by mountain bikers now. There are still some very nice preserve trails to ride on in the North Shore area and there are still stables there. A lot of downtown dwellers board at them. I used to ride my bike 10 miles every am to work at one of them and wrangle trail rides just so I could ride myself!
Very neat pics, thnx for posting.
Really interesting stuff Linda...thanks for the links!
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction was that the bronc was real, but with what Cedar View said...I'm tending to follow that thought too. The sandals were just too bizarre at first glance!! And that was prime time for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans...Hollywood!!
My worlds have just collided. I am looking at a picture of a horse, and I can use my knowledge of antique cars to help date it. I believe that is a '53 Packard in the background.
ReplyDeleteIt's not real? It looks so real!!! But the shoes, lol, that got me. I did a double take one those. But ya never know, I might do something like that on a dare (back in the day)
ReplyDeleteCool pics though. Super cool.
Well, I've been sitting here for almost an hour looking at the blog link for Maloof Collection. It's just fascinating!!
ReplyDeleteWanted to mention that there is another video from another news broadcast about half way down on his blog (different than the CBS story). It's a little more in depth...excellent to watch.
I saw this too, through Caroline at Constantly Evolving. She definitely had an 'eye'.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think of a prop until I read the above comments, but I did wonder why the girl looks so darn relaxed!!! This is an incredible story, and I thank you so much for providing the links. Vivian's photos are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteNancy in Iowa
I bet the bronc was a tourist thing, "get your picture taken on a real wild west horse"! Amaze your friends! On a dead horse! Uck. Yea the no movement on the mane and tail is a giveaway.
ReplyDeletePoor thing in the city, looks miserable, so many unhappy animals through the years. But great photos!
That is definitely a prop - no body would wear sandals on a bucking bronc, and yes, you can see the stictch lines on the underbelly and legs. No idea where this might have been taken. I saw the program about her photos and wondered about her having such a private (secret) life. Her photos remain as her diary. She obviously loved life around her.
ReplyDeleteI love vintage western photos. ( I love everything vintage!) My husband found 2 old cowboy photos of his uncle which I posted this week and they are wonderful. Just wish I had more... Loved this post!
ReplyDeleteThat just doesn't look like a natural bucking bronc position. Usually the rear legs are up and tail is up in the air. If the back legs and tail are down, the legs are usually straighter. It looks more like a horse that is falling or held in the air! Neat pic though!
ReplyDeletethank you so much for introducing me to vivian!!!!
ReplyDeleteCircus? Livestock exhibition? Wagon horse taking a break from dragging it around? police horse? ...
ReplyDeleteLove old photos! I just returned from visiting my son in Chicago and couldn't persuade him to visit the Noble Horse Stables :( But - I did research them, and at one time you could ride from that stable (near north side) all the way to the beach at Lincoln Park! So, yeah, I'm thinking that was a carriage horse getting cooled out.
ReplyDeleteThere is something like this in Wall, South Dakota at Wall Drug. I distinctly remember the stuffed bucking horse.
ReplyDeleteexhibit A: http://www.stat.missouri.edu/~thombsl/walldrug.JPG
wonder if your photo is just an earlier version of a similar attraction.
Back in the fifties in Brooklyn NY there were still horses pulling 'rag and bone' carts with cowbells strung along the top of the cart. The drivers used to call out, "old clothes, old clothes". Also, there were horses still pulling produce wagons. I imagine Chicago had similar work horses. (In the twenties they still pulled trolley cars, according to Grandpa.)
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