Half-Breed 1901

Frederic Remington made this drawing, Half-Breed, on paper with crayon. The overall tonality is soft, even powdery, and the strokes feel very direct. It’s as if Remington is thinking through the medium itself, letting the crayon’s texture lead the way. Looking at the way the horse and rider are rendered, you can see the crayon marks build up the form and the details of the clothing. There’s a part of the horse’s flank that is a bright burst of reddish brown that pulls me right in, it almost looks like it was added as an afterthought, a bit of whimsy that lifts the whole thing. It’s this contrast that makes the drawing feel so alive and immediate. Remington’s work reminds me a little of someone like Toulouse-Lautrec, in that he's interested in capturing a specific moment, a feeling, through the use of line and color. Ultimately, the piece invites us to see the world through Remington’s eyes, which is always an interesting place to be.