Spurring His Horse in Pursuit 1878

Frederic Remington made this drawing, Spurring His Horse in Pursuit, during the late 19th or early 20th century. It depicts a scene from the American West, where a cowboy on horseback chases after a wildcat that has climbed a tree. Remington was an artist working during a pivotal moment, when westward expansion was celebrated but its environmental impacts weren't yet understood. We can consider this work as an artifact of cultural and institutional history. It embodies an era where the rugged individualism of the cowboy was glorified in popular culture. Notice how the cowboy dominates the scene. He is actively pursuing the wildcat, disturbing it from its natural habitat. The drawing illustrates an imbalance of power that was the reality of the time. To fully understand Remington’s image, one might consult historical archives, literature, and other cultural documents from that era.