Cowboys and horses, adventure in wide-open spaces. The mythos of the Old West comes alive in the paintings, drawings, and sculptures of Frederic Remington (1861-1909). Born during the Civil War and educated at Yale University, Remington committed his life to making portraits of the American frontier. The Frederic Remington Art Museum Collection presents the collection of the museum founded by and housed in the former home of Remington's widow, Eva Caten Remington.

For much of his creative life, Remington worked as an illustrator for publications like Harper's Weekly. His renderings of life in the Old West were hugely successful, and some even accompanied an essay by President Theodore Roosevelt. His drawings displayed a strongly believable atmosphere: [Remington's] illustrated scenes from the Apache War were rendered in a direct, spare and unsentimental style with an attention to detail that made them seem like snapshots of specific incidents. In truth, like much of Remington's reality, they were generalizations, not documents, created by extrapolating freely from firsthand observations.

Today Remington's work is often seen as problematic, and as evidence of the racist brutality that wiped out the American Indian culture and population. Of course, in Remington's time, his views of the frontier reflected those of most of the United States. Aside from these political complexities, Remington's work captures the imagery of a time and a landscape long gone. If you are fascinated by the Old West, then you should not miss this book. The book includes detailed commentary on the paintings and drawings, with 333 illustrations and 127 full-color plates. --J.P. Cohen

From Publishers Weekly
The Frederic Remington Art Museum Collection showcases the holdings of the Ogdensburg, N.Y., institution. Remington (1861-1909) remains an iconic, mythmaking painter and sculptor of the American post-Civil War West, as these 333 illustrations 127 in color, 206 in duotone readily show. Brian W. Dippie, who teaches art history at British Columbia's University of Victoria, offers a clear-eyed look at highlights from Remington's oeuvre, along with excerpts from the artist's letters, diaries and sketchbooks. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Much has been written throughout the 20th century and recently about Remington, the immensely popular artist of the American West. Dippie (history, Univ. of Victoria; West-Fever, LJ 11/1/98), a foremost authority on Western art, devotes his book to work at the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY, which was established from Remington's estate by his widow, Eva, and sister-in-law Emma. People familiar only with the artist's images of cowboys and Native Americans will likely be surprised and delighted by his impressionist-inspired landscapes of his home state of New York. Photographs and comparative images enhance the author's discussions of Remington himself and of the individual paintings, drawings, and sculptures. (However, there was occasionally a lack of correlation between the table of contents and the actual text.) Recommended for academic and public libraries. Anne Marie Lane, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Few American artists are as enduringly popular as Frederic Remington (1861-1909). His bronzes and paintings of the American West have become iconic images, shaping the way Americans view the history of the West. This generously illustrated volume is the first to examine the exceptional collection of his works housed at the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, New York. In his richly detailed portrait of the artist, Western art scholar Brian W. Dippie traces Remington’s life and artistic development. Drawing extensively on Remington’s letters, diaries, and other archival materials, Dippie explores some 100 of the most important works in the collection in the context of prevailing social, cultural, and political attitudes—including the ethnic and racial stereotypes for which Remington’s work is sometimes criticized today. An important addition to the Remington literature, this handsome volume highlights Remington’s impressive range and underscores his achievements as an illustrator, sculptor, and painter.

About the Author
BRIAN W. DIPPIE is a highly regarded scholar who has written extensively on the West and Western art. He teaches in the department of history at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Few American artists are as enduringly popular as Frederic Remington (1861-1909). His bronzes and paintings of the American West have become iconic images, shaping the way Americans view the history of the West. This generously illustrated volume is the first to examine the exceptional collection of his works housed at the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, New York.

In his richly detailed portrait of the artist, Western art scholar Brian W. Dippie traces Remington's life and artistic development. Drawing extensively on Remington's letters, diaries, and other archival materials, Dippie explores some 100 of the most important works in the collection in the context of prevailing social, cultural, and political attitudes—including the ethnic and racial stereotypes for which Remington's work is sometimes criticized today. An important addition to the Remington literature, this handsome volume highlights Remington's impressive range and underscores his achievements as an illustrator, sculptor, and painter.

Author Biography: Brian W. Dippie is a highly regarded scholar who has written extensively on the West and Western art. He teaches in the department of history at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The Frederic Remington Art Museum Collection showcases the holdings of the Ogdensburg, N.Y., institution. Remington (1861-1909) remains an iconic, mythmaking painter and sculptor of the American post-Civil War West, as these 333 illustrations 127 in color, 206 in duotone readily show. Brian W. Dippie, who teaches art history at British Columbia's University of Victoria, offers a clear-eyed look at highlights from Remington's oeuvre, along with excerpts from the artist's letters, diaries and sketchbooks. ( Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal