Renowned for his significant contributions to the depiction of the American West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Frederic Remington's formative years were shaped by the end of the American Civil War and westward expansion, which greatly influenced his artistic pursuits. Fascinated by the frontier and cowboy culture from an early age, Remington's artistic career began as an illustrator for various publications, such as Outing and Harper's magazines—his body of work predominantly featured the "Wild West," cowboys, indigenous people, and the U.S. Cavalry. Remington's detailed and dynamic illustrations captured the spirit of the American West, showcasing its rugged landscapes and inhabitants.


Marching on the Mountains, executed circa 1889 in grisaille, demonstrates Remington's skill in capturing the energy and movement of these subjects, reflecting the dynamic nature of life in the American West. The present painting depicts a Tenth United States Cavalry scouting party, also known as the "Buffalo Soldiers," by their indigenous adversaries. The regiments were primarily made up of Black troops at a time when U.S. forces remained segregated. The scene unfolds as the group descends the rocky terrain of the Sierra Bonitas in the San Carlos Reservation of the then Arizona Territory, now in southeastern Arizona. Remington depicted himself in the painting, the fourth figure up the trail, sporting a pith helmet and puttee leg coverings. Positioned precariously at the edge of the rough path, with his horse looking off into the valley, Remington placed himself in the center of the action. Notably, the figure at the lower left of the composition is First Lieutenant Powhatan H. Clarke, who led the Tenth Cavalry during the Geronimo Campaign of the Apache Wars. The events of the painting depict the summer of 1888 when Remington accompanied the unit as an artist-correspondent. [1]


Similar to many of his illustration commissions, Marching on the Mountains is executed in grisaille, using only shades of black and white. Remington and his contemporaries employed this color scheme to facilitate the reproduction process. The grayscale application ensured a more faithful representation in print and conveyed a romanticized impression of the historical events depicted.


As a pioneer of Western art, Remington shaped and defined the visual narrative of the American West. His works not only celebrated the frontier spirit but also contributed to the mythologizing of the West in the popular imagination. Remington's images were widely disseminated and became a part of the broader cultural conversation about American identity, influencing subsequent generations of artists and shaping perceptions of the West in art and literature.

[1] Peter H. Hassrick and Melissa J. Webster, Frederic Remington: A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, Watercolors and Drawings, Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1996, vol. I, p. 13