Nearing the Issue at the Cockpit

Horace Bonham

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a group of men gathered closely together, leaning over a wooden railing with their hands resting on it. The men are dressed in various attire including top hats, bowler hats, and flat caps, with a range of semi-formal to casual clothing such as black suits, brown coats, and plain shirts. They are a diverse group, with skin tones ranging from pale to dark brown, some with mustaches or beards and other bare faced. They all appear to be focused intently on something that is just below us, some with slight smiles, others with wide eyes and raised brows. The background includes a wooden beam ceiling and a partially peeling plaster wall with a framed document labeled "RULES" partially visible near the upper right. On the upper left, the graying plaster appears to have cracked off, revealing red brick.