Watch out, Sir!

 

"Look Ahead, Sir!" A Reminiscence of Henley Regatta ~ The Graphic 31 July 1880.

I immediately fell in love with this print the first time I saw it several years ago. Last autumn, I found it on eBay, and bought it straight away. In 1880, there were still no booms along the course at Henley (they came first for the 1899 Regatta). This meant that spectators' pleasure boats and punts could drift out in front of crews racing and mess up many good oarsmen's chances to win. The gentleman in the single scull is probably not in a race, but on his way to the start. Will he make it in time?