First and Best Camp of the Trip 1895

Frederic Remington created "First and Best Camp of the Trip" without a specified date using oil on canvas. Painted during a period of westward expansion, this work gives us insight into how ideas of American identity were being formed and projected onto the landscape. Remington, who had a complicated relationship with the American West, portrays a scene of apparent camaraderie and adventure, yet it’s also important to consider the colonial context. The painting idealizes the rugged outdoorsman, a figure often romanticized in American lore, while often overlooking the displacement and marginalization of Indigenous peoples. What does it mean to stake a claim to the ‘first’ and ‘best’ when that land was already inhabited? The journey into the wilderness, a recurring theme in American art, becomes a loaded symbol of conquest and dominion. As you stand here, consider how this painting contributes to our understanding of ourselves and the stories we tell about our history.