The Mountain Man

Accession number:
2002.05

Maker:
Frederic Remington
1861-1909

Historical period:
ca. 1903

Type:
Bronze, reproduction, Sculpture

Dimensions:
H x W x D: 27.5 in. / 19 in. / 9.5 in.

Acquisition date:
2002

Credit line:
Gift of William J. Lang

Location:
Elevator Lobby, Third Floor

Provenance:

From 2002: The Army and Navy Club, gift of Major William J. Lang

Label:

The sculpture shows a dramatic episode in the daily life of a trapper: his mounted descent on an almost vertical slope. Mountain Man and horse work together to make the trip down a treacherously rocky decline. The horse has been given full rein to choose its pace and path, the rider leaning sharply back and balancing himself by holding onto the tail strap with his right hand. The artist, Frederic Remington, was the son of an Army Colonel who fought in the Civil War.

Remington bronzes are among the most widely reproduced of all metal sculptures. Some unauthorized copies of his work have been traced as far back as 1920. However, when the copyright protection of his work expired in the 1960s, the number of reproductions in the market increased exponentially.