The Rattlesnake
Accession number:
2002.04
Maker:
Frederic Remington
(1861-1909)
Historical period:
ca. 1905
Type:
Bronze, reproduction, Sculpture
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 22 in. / 14.5 in. / 8.5 in.
Acquisition date:
2002
Credit line:
Gift of William J. Lang
Location:
Parade, Second Floor
Provenance:
From 2002: The Army and Navy Club, gift of Major William J. Lang
Label:
This sculpture depicts a cowboy on horseback, struggling against being thrown off his horse who has just been startled by a rattlesnake underfoot, ready to strike.
Frederic Remington cast twenty-two different subjects of his renowned and highly coveted bronzes depicting romanticized images of the American West. His sculptures are “full round,” meaning they are as realistically sculpted in the back as in front.
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.