These medals are bronze with a matte gilt appearance. Made by Medallic Art Co. (MACO) There are 10 to make a complete set. Bronco Buster The rugged Western frontier character portrayed in Remington’s 1895 sculpture, won the hearts of the American people for both the subject matter and its dynamic composition. The Bronco Buster was the first, and most popular of Frederic Remington’s sculpture designs and remains so to date. The Bronco Buster is also one of the most widely recognized of Remington's sculpture portrayals; this is partly due to the publicity surrounding President Theodore Roosevelt and the “Rough Riders” to whom Remington presented it as a gift. This casting now resides in the White House oval office as a center piece and permanent element of the collection. Coming Through The Rye This medal depicts a 1902 sculpture titled "Coming Through The Rye" by Frederic Remington, famous for his American western art themes in paintings and sculptures. Harold McCracken writes, "Coming Through the Rye represents four cowboys mounted on broncos dashing at full gallop, waving their six-shooters over their heads with quirts flying from their wrists. They have the spark of abandon and deviltry in their hollow eyes; and their mouths are open as though in the act of shrieking out some wild Western apostrophe to the red gods of recklessness. The broncos, snorting and straining forward, are shoulder to shoulder, and their flying hooves emphasize the devil-may-care of such a mad ride." The Mountain Man This medal depicts a 1903 sculpture titled "The Mountain Man" by Frederic Remington, famous for his American western art themes in paintings and sculptures. The life of a mountain man, trapper and explorer, was rugged. Many did not last more than several years in the wilderness. They faced many hazards, especially when exploring unmapped areas. Biting insects and other wildlife, harsh weather, diseases of all kinds, injuries and hostile indians presented constant physical dangers. Grizzly bears were one of the mountain man's greatest enemies. Winters could be brutal with heavy snowstorms and low temperatures. In order to stay alive, the men needed keen senses, and knowledge of herbal remedies and first aid. They could catch fish, build shelter, and hunt for food and skins. Mountain men dressed in animal skins that gave them some protection against man and beast. The Fallen Rider The Fallen Rider also named The Wicked Pony was inspired by a past recollection of a western trip. During which Remington had witnessed a cowboy that had been thrown from a rank tempered bronc. He looked on as the cowboy attempted to tussle the animal to the ground by its ear, an unfair and dangerous match in which the cowboy was fatally kicked. Experiencing this event made a significant impression on Remington. He purposefully portrayed more expression and strain in this figures face than any before. The horse is depicted with extremely calculated positions in movement as if the artist was recalling a particularly drastic moment during this episode. The Cheyenne Shannon J. Hatfield wrote: In 1901 Remington suffered a serious fall from his horse. This fall landed him on crutches, his leg in a splint and foot elevated for several weeks. In spite of the bad situation the artist had been presented with, he continued to diligently pursue his current project, The Cheyenne. The Cheyenne was an accomplishment of complete fluidity and grace that far surpassed any of Remington’s prior attempts to portray a horse in natural light. The Cheyenne was inspired after a photo that a high speed photographer captured. The photo was that of a sequence of galloping horses. This left no doubt in Remington’s mind that the horses were indeed airborne in the sequence of each stride. Remington sought to accurately portray as much as possible the natural fluidity of which he knew well as an observer and rider. This bronze was the first of Remington’s works to be entirely cast in one piece. He designed it so that the sculpture would be suspended in mid air, completely supported by the trailing buffalo hide robe. The next five will follow shortly below.
The Norther Shannon J. Hatfield wrote: The Norther, is the fifth in Remington’s bronzes it can be thought of as a cowboy on horse back in a frigid snow storm. There are very fierce winds blowing from the backside of the cowboy. The half frozen figure is not shown as a man that has overcome the fierceness of nature, but one rendered vulnerable by the drastic elements. The Norther was in Remington’s mind potentially unpopular to the public. He thought that not very many would want a sculpture of a lone soldier on his horse caught dead in the in their tracks in a chilly, snow wind. It was probably this that urged Remington to only have three original castings produced. The Outlaw Shannon J. Hatfield wrote: The Outlaw is one of Remington’s later pieces. This 1906 piece, The Outlaw was known as the real companion to The Broncho Buster. It is the teeter to The Broncho Buster’s totter, what comes up in one comes down in the other. Giant jolts of endless energy were what this cowboy was feeling as the horse would rear up putting full force on all fronts. The Outlaw’s rider seems to bestow a great amount of fluidity and control. However, this cowboy is not going to win any points by resting his hand on the side of his horse. Yet, on a safer side he stands a chance of not getting his coccyx dislocated. This cowboy was a first class bronco-buster or flash rider. These riders would receive high wages, wages that were well deserved, because this was one of the most dangerous jobs there were and no man could ever hope to grow old. The idea for this casting was taken from that of an old sketch that Remington had done years before called the “Sun Fisher.” In this sketch the rigorous life of a flash rider was shown. This cowboy was trying to beat the odds to stay on the bronc. The Rattlesnake The Rattlesnake was copyrighted in 1905, Remington's 12th sculpture. A powerful composition, it focuses all attention and movement to the small but deadly rattlesnake. The Rattlesnake won much praise when it was completed and was called the work of a master's hand. Remington enjoyed modeling this piece so thoroughly, that after it was finished, he completely reworked it over a ten day period. The new piece was nearly four inches taller than the original version, and the position of the out lines was also greatly altered. The head, neck and back legs of the horse, and the angle of the cowboys body, now flowed in a more pronounced arching motion. He recorded in his diary,"It has taken much longer to model than I had any idea of but it is a good job and a good bronze, well worth while". This piece is Remington’s third most popular sculpture ever, probably due to the fact it adds the elements of the fashionable bronco with those of a close encounter with death. The Scalp Remington's fourth bronze, The Scalp is the artist's first sculptural depiction of an Indian subject. In the work, Remington has rendered a Sioux warrior in a dignified and victorious pose, heroically placed atop a horse that is in mid-stride, coming to an energetic halt. The victor holding a human scalp in a clenched fist. The Sergeant The Sergeant is the smallest of Remington’s castings standing less than eleven inches tall. This bronze shows the hard life of a tough, weathered, and sharp-nosed Sergeant. Quite often this bronze is mistaken for a grizzled veteran of the Indian wars. But this was not the intent of Remington. He wanted it to be a tribute to the First U.S. Volunteer Calvary, the Rough Riders, whom he rode with and respected so much. The Sergeant combines two types of Remington’s works the cowpuncher and the soldier. Thanks for looking!
Thank you green18. I must say that when I see your avatar Mr Green I think of Dr. Bombay on Bewitched. LOL
