Sketch for Cowboys in the Badlands 1888

Thomas Eakins created this sketch for Cowboys in the Badlands. Eakins painted during a period when the myth of the American West was being solidified. His depiction here is notably personal and intimate. The cowboy, often a symbol of rugged individualism, is shown in a moment of quiet connection with his horse. The painting suggests a nuanced understanding of masculinity that departs from traditional heroic portrayals. The bond between man and animal speaks to labor, companionship, and survival in a challenging environment. What do you feel when you consider this cowboy, caught in a moment of preparation, far from the action and adventure we often associate with the Wild West? This sketch offers a quiet reflection on the human, and animal, experience within the grand narrative of the American frontier.