The Pathfinder 2018

Mark Maggiori painted “The Pathfinder,” showing two men on horseback during what appears to be the American Frontier. The image evokes a strong sense of place and time, referencing the visual codes of the Western genre. The painting taps into a romanticized version of American history, but it also subtly comments on the power dynamics inherent in frontier narratives. The title, "The Pathfinder," suggests exploration and discovery, but it also hints at the displacement and dispossession of Native populations that accompanied westward expansion. Historical accounts, photographs, and material culture studies of the 19th-century West help us understand this period's complex realities. We may also analyze how popular culture, including dime novels and Wild West shows, shaped perceptions of the frontier. We can better appreciate the artist's contribution to the continuing conversation about the American West by researching the historical and cultural contexts in which this artwork was produced.