Copper Weather Vane c. 1937

This copper weather vane, depicting a sulky racer, was created by Victor F. Muollo, an Italian-American artist. The artist, born in 1855, lived through a time of immense change in the United States, as agricultural society gave way to industrial capitalism. Muollo’s weather vane exemplifies the cultural preoccupation with speed and progress that defined America at the turn of the century. The late 19th century witnessed the rise of competitive harness racing, reflecting the cultural fascination with technological advancement and its impact on transportation and leisure. Beyond the racetrack, horses gradually lost their traditional role in transportation and agriculture, increasingly becoming symbols of wealth and recreation. By understanding its historical moment, we can appreciate the weather vane as a commentary on the social structures of its time. Historians turn to period newspapers and advertisements to understand the cultural meanings attached to horse racing. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.