The Rattlesnake c. 1915

This bronze sculpture, *The Rattlesnake*, was made by Frederic Remington and lives at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Imagine Remington working on this sculpture, getting the feel of the clay between his fingers, coaxing out the cowboy and his bucking horse. I can see the marks he made in the clay. Look how the horse twists and contorts. You can feel its raw energy. The cowboy is holding on for dear life, hat flying off, leaning back. There's a real sense of immediacy here, like Remington captured a fleeting moment in time. It’s a snapshot of the Wild West, but it’s also about the struggle between man and nature. Remington made a whole career out of immortalizing these kinds of scenes. He wasn't just making art. He was telling stories about courage, resilience, and the untamed spirit of the American frontier. Other artists have told similar stories, each trying to make their mark.