Frederic Remington was an American artist renowned for his depictions of the Old American West. “The Cavalry Charge” is one of Remington’s largest paintings depicting soldiers led by a scout in buckskin, charging into battle against an unseen enemy. Completed in 1907, this oil painting measures 40 x 60 inches and is displayed at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
Throughout his career, Remington specialized in images of cowboys, American Indians, and the US Cavalry. His drawings of cavalry troops, cowboys, and Indians were featured in popular periodicals like Harper’s. It was said that one of Remington’s favorite themes was the American soldier in the West as he admired their bravery and fought fiercely to accurately depict their movements.
In creating “The Cavalry Charge,” Remington explored the technical and aesthetic difficulties of painting darkness filled with color and light. Through masterful use of brushstrokes and color palette choices- from gray-blues to gold undertones- the painting exudes a sense of urgency as horsemen race towards an unknown adversary while dust swirls around them adding to its feeling of chaos. In another similar subject matter piece entitled “Cavalry in an Arizona Sandstorm,” completed three years earlier than The Cavalry Charge painting shows off a group on horseback navigating through harsh desert elements only visible thanks to flashes from rifles firing giving viewers a stark view into what life during wartime must have been like for these brave souls.
Today “The Cavalry Charge” remains one of Frederic Remington’s most celebrated works and serves as a testament to his commitment towards representing subjects from every angle possible whether it be through technique or composition- there is truly something here that everyone can appreciate!