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Book Review of Frederic Remington: The Life and Legacy of the Wild West?s Most Famous Artist

Frederic Remington: The Life and Legacy of the Wild West?s Most Famous Artist
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Essentially a self-taught artist, Frederic Remington was best known for his work depicting American cowboys, Indians, and soldiers. Amazingly, Remington was a New Yorker, not a Westerner. According to this book, Remington was a restless spirit who traveled extensively. He was married but never had any children. I was surprised to learn that this artist died at 48 years of age due to infection after an emergency appendectomy.

This biography was eye-opening. Remington, who captured the dying West and the major characters of that West, was very dismissive of American Indians and minorities in general. He was a confirmed anti-Semite.

I was eager to read this biography because our family has been to the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art in Tulsa, OK. All of the Remington art (sculptures, oils, etc.) they have on display are awe-inspiring. This book explained that when the Remington bronze pieces were made (copies), the original was destroyed in the process. I didn't realize that multiples were made of each of his sculptures.