The Outlaw 1906 - 1938

Frederic Remington made "The Outlaw" out of bronze sometime around the turn of the century. Look at the way the sculptor captured this fleeting moment. The horse is caught mid-buck, its form a mix of power and instability. The patina of the bronze is super interesting here, it really emphasizes the ruggedness of the scene. I'm thinking about the way the light catches the horse's muscles. The surface has all these textures, almost like little brushstrokes in metal. If you focus on the cowboy’s grip on the reins, you see how Remington has detailed the tension and strength needed to control the wild animal. It makes me think about Degas and his horses, the same kind of close looking, but Remington is really telling a story. It’s like he’s saying something about man, nature, and the drama of the American West. Ultimately, it’s this tension between realism and theatricality that makes the piece so dynamic.