Kentucky Derby Paintings

The Kentucky Derby is one of the most significant and long-standing competitions in America today. First begun in the year 1875, the Kentucky Derby is the cap to the annual two week long festival that happens in Louisville, Kentucky. A Grade I race for three year old thoroughbred horses, the race was inspired by the Derby, a race that has taken place in England since the mid-1700s, and by similar races that also take place in France to this day. With thousands of fans watching both at the track as well as at home, the Kentucky Derby is an institution. For some people it's also become an art form.

Kentucky Derby Paintings

The Kentucky Derby has become the subject of choice for a number of different painters. These Kentucky Derby paintings feature famous horses and jockeys, tense moments of past races, or even the winners accepting their awards and accolades once everything was said and done at the end of the race. Anything and everything involving the race is up for grabs when it comes to artistic inspiration.

For some artists photographs of past events provide the basic look of a painting. Pictures of champion horses from decades gone by are re-created with brushes and canvas. For other painters though, portraits of newer or up and coming racers are the subject matter of choice. There are a lot of different choices for those who are making these paintings, and some artists are even commissioned to create works based on a certain race, horse, jockey, or event.

Painting Display

In addition to the paintings themselves, there are a variety of displays owners can use. For instance, original paintings are framed, often placed under glass and hung in a place of honor. For those who want to have a painting depicting the Derby, but who don't have the budget for collecting original art, prints of these paintings are available and can be displayed in the same way. The other advantage to purchasing prints is that they can be requested in a variety of shapes and sizes, giving the buyer some leeway with how large or small the print of a painting actually is once it gets to his or her home.

A Photo Finish

In addition to paintings, Kentucky Derby fans may also purchase prints of famous derby photographs as well. These photos are displayed in the same way prints of paintings are, and they have similar costs. So whether a fan of the horses prefers an artist's interpretation, or a photograph of the actual event, there are options for all tastes and budgets when it comes to capturing a little piece of horse race history.