The Sharpshooter 

Danny Galieote painted 'The Sharpshooter' in the 20th century. The piece is defined by its circular format, a nod to classical medallions, framing a striking female figure against a stylized Western landscape. Galieote's composition plays with texture and form. The woman's fringed outfit contrasts sharply with the smooth metal of her revolvers, creating a tactile visual experience. Her gaze, both direct and aloof, implicates the viewer, challenging traditional representations of women in Western art. The artist uses a limited palette, dominated by earth tones and complemented by softer blues and yellows in the sky. The circular format suggests a closed, self-contained world, emphasizing the subject's power and control within her domain. This form echoes the cyclical nature of signs, where the visual elements come together to create a narrative that both celebrates and subverts the mythology of the Wild West. The work invites us to reflect on the cultural encoding of symbols and the shifting dynamics of representation.