In the 1800s, thousands of people from large cities and towns moved out West with the hope of finding a better life. In 1881, when Remington was 20 years old, he left home for Montana Territory. this would be a pivotal trip in his life.
One night, while sitting around a campfire, Remington met an old wagon driver. The older man told stories about how he had seen the Wild West quickly changing. He told Remington that it wouldn't be long before there would be many buildings and people all over the place.
Remington decided right then and there to do all he could to record the Wild West before it disappeared forever. So, from that point on, Remington frequently traveled out West to gather ideas for scenes - such as fights and battles between cowboys, American Indians, and United States Cavalry. One of Remington's favorite subjects was horses.
Interestingly, Remington always felt left out when it came to being accepted as a real artist. Many people who collected artwork for museums thought of him as just an illustrator. Near the end of his life, Remington burned many of his illustrations in a big bonfire. Today, many of his illustrations and paintings are shown all over the world. He also created bronze sculptures which are in museums as well.
Remington hoped he would be remembered for the way he could paint and sculpt horses. By the time he died in 1909, most people agreed that his horses were among the best ever.
Sophia and Olivia looked at six of Remington's paintings. One at a time, they looked at them for awhile and then shared what they remembered about them.
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Indian Trapper
Sophia remembered:
=> The bridle looks like it's golden.
=> The rider has a lot of colors - blue, oranges, browns, tans, pale colors, bright colors.
=> The handle of the rife looks embellished with paint.
=> The closest mountain has pinks, light blues, and purples - it's pretty.
=> The rider is wearing thick clothes - no short sleeves - just heavy clothes - even though it looks like spring.
=> The man's face looks weather-beaten and tanned.
=> There are two other horses far away in the distance.
=> The sky is a bright clear blue.
=> The rider is not smiling.
=> The horse looks strong but he looks like he'd bolt if something happened.
Olivia remembered:
=> The horse has a white stocking on one of its back feet.
=> The horse has a short tail.
=> The mountain is in the distance.
=> There are two other riders ahead of him.
=> The man has a furry hat that looks like it was made out of a raccoon.
=> There are lots of rocks.
=> There are lots of green bushes.
=> The man's face is rather dark.
=> The ground is very brown.
=> Pebbles, bushes, and rocks are on the ground.
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Lt. S.C. Robertson, Chief of the Crow Scouts
Sophia remembered:
=> The horse looks like it is blind - the eyes look cloudy.
=> The horse's tail is short. It looks like it is cut to the bone.
=> The horse looks strong - you can see its muscles.
=> The man is stern and isn't smiling.
=> The guy's face is tan.
=> The man's pants are blue and it looks like he has silver or white buttons on them.
=> It looks like there is a piece of string around his wrist.
=> He has a kerchief around his neck.
=> There's a shadow of the horse.
=> He has a brown mustache.
Olivia remembered:
=> The horse's bridle is made out of silver.
=> The man looks like he is really strict.
=> The horse has black socks and his hooves are white.
=> The horse's muzzle is tan.
=> The man's coat is blue and has gold buttons.
=> He's wearing a round-brim hat.
=> He's wearing gloves.
=> His right hand has something around the wrist.
=> He has a belt with a silver buckle.
=> He has a reddish-orange-brown mixed color horse.
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A Vaquero.
Sophia remembered:
=> There's a little red mark or circle on its hindquarters.
=> The ground looks really rocky.
=> It looks like it's about to snow.
=> Next to the man's leg there's a coil or rope.
=> The donkey's ears are pointed.
=> The man is wearing a blanket as poncho.
=> The sheep skin looks warm.
=> His shirt looks like it's made of some kind of animal fur.
=> He's wearing a sombrero.
=> The mountains are craggy - there aren't smooth and foreboding.
=> The man is not smiling.
=> He has a cross on a chain around his neck.
=> There's a little basket thing.
=> There's a white sock in its back right leg.
=> One hoof is slightly up.
=> There is no vegetation.
Olivia remembered:
=> The horse sort of looks like a donkey.
=> There are mountains in the distance.
=> The man's face is really dark.
=> The sky is very gray.
=> The stirrup is very strange looking.
=> The horse's legs are very short.
=> Around his legs are sheep wool.
=> He's wearing a coat.
=> He's wearing a hat.
=> The mountains are white on the top.
=> The horse is standing on its side.
=> The horse is skinny.
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End of the Trail.
Sophia remembered:
=> There's a skeleton of someone laying on the ground. I think it was a man.
=> There aren't any birds.
=> The skull looks almost red.
=> The cabins is falling. There are pieces hanging off. There is a chip by the door hanging precariously.
=> There aren't any flowers.
=> There isn't a window.
=> There looks like there's two rocks on the side of the cabin that are falling out.
=> You can only see part of the ribs, side of the head, and part of the hand.
=> The cabin was constructed poorly.
=> Three's rough park on the trees.
Olivia remembered:
=> The house looks like it has been abandoned.
=> The forest looks dark.
=> The door is ajar.
=> I think it was a woman.
=> There are lots of shrubs by the house.
=> There's a gigantic tree by the window.
=> There's a path leading up to the house.
=> I see a lot of green.
=> There's a window by the big tree.
=> The skeleton is sort of in the ground.
=> The log cabin and the bark is falling out.
=> I see moss on the trees.
=> The skeleton's eyes are hollow.
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A Sioux Chief.
Sophia remembered:
=> The horse's tail is kind of like in a knot.
=> The Sioux Chief does not have a saddle - he's riding bareback.
=> The bridle is almost the same color as the horse.
=> The Sioux Chief has a spear and at the handle is a white and black feather.
=> All the horse's hooves except the back left has stockings up to its knees.
=> The Sioux Chief's back of the shirt has blue, green, yellow, and pink patches or beads at the shoulder by the arms.
=> He's sitting sideways or looking behind him.
=> His hair is black and very long.
=> His headdress is huge and it has black and white feathers with a tiny red patch.
Olivia remembered:
=> The Native American's horse is orangeish-reddish, and its tail is extremely short.
=> The horse doesn't look very strong.
=> The chief has a greenish outfit.
=> The horse is standing in a small patch of grass.
=> The chief has a big headdress.
=> He has a sour expression. He's not smiling and he's looking up.
=> The holding part of the spear is brown and the spear looks sharp.
=> He's sitting to the side.
=> His hair is scraggly.
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The Sentinel.
Sophia remembered:
=> The blanket faded at the end.
=> The horse looks like a mule. Its ears are larger - like a donkey's ears.
=> The trees are tall, together, and dark.
=> I can see the end of the musket and there looks like there's a streak of red. The musket is really long.
=> I can't tell if the rider is a male or female.
=> It looks like it's getting dark - like the sun is setting.
=> It looks like they were about to go on ice because it's blue in front.
Olivia remembered:
=> In the forest, there's a pair of eyes looking at them as they're going away.
=> The horse looks very strong.
=> The forest is very dark.
=> There are a lot of shadows.
=> They are walking on snow.
=> It looks like the sun is just rising.
=> The horse is black.
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