Beruflich Dokumente
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Frederic Remington
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Contents
Frederic Remington was possibly the most prolific illustrator of the American West at the turn of the twentieth centuryso
much so, that it often takes real detective work to find the original paintings and drawings behind those illustrations. In
addition, because of his commercial success, he was often imitated by others for profit, which compounds the detective work
when such works are thrown into the mix. Read more about the Remington detectives in Peter Hassricks story beginning
on page four. Frederic Remington (1861 1909). Hiding the Trail, ca. 1899. Oil on canvas. Mary Jester Allen Collection. 114.67
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16 Calendar of Events
22 From our archives
25 In our backyard:
12 The War Bridle Gustave Kobbe in the New York Herald said that
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19 Buffalo Bill Historical Center: planting the seeds for growth. The 30 A thousand words
Development Office is a hive of activity, and every member of our
all-star cast works enthusiastically together as a highly functioning
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Smithsonian Affiliations
Magazine of the Buffalo Bill
Historical Center Cody, Wyoming
Spring 2013
By Peter H. Hassrick
a catalogue raisonn (French, literally,
reasoned catalogue; i.e. a systematic
annotated catalogue) on an artist who
is one of the most imitated and faked
in all of American art.
The Historical Center teamed up with
the Saint Louis Art Museum, and the
resulting exhibition, Frederic Remington:
The Masterworks, traveled also to the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York. Among the several chapters in
the accompanying catalogue was one
by Saint Louis curator Michael Shapiro
(now Director of the High Museum of
Art in Atlanta, Georgia) on Remingtons
genius as a sculptor. As director of the
Historical Center at the time, I also
contributed an essay on Remingtons
developing talents as a painter.
As I was building the exhibition
checklist for the paintings, it occurred
to me that it might be a worthy effort
to assemble concurrently an illustrated
accounting
of
all
Remingtons
flatworkoils,
watercolors,
and
Paintings such as this certainly validate the genius of Remington. Early in his career, however, he was
revered mostly as the pictorial historian of the Great West. Frederic Remington (1861 1909). Prospecting for Cattle Range, 1889. Oil on canvas. Gift of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney. 85.60
4 n Points West
A catalogue
raisonn is born
I had started my museum career in
1969 as Curator of Collections for the
Amon Carter Museum of Western Art in
Fort Worth, Texas. Its sizable and vastly
important collection of Remington
art, combined with the impressive
complementary holdings of the Sid W.
Richardson Foundation, also in Fort
Worth, became the subject of my first
book, Frederic Remington: Paintings,
Drawings and Sculpture in the Amon
Carter Museum and Sid W. Richardson
Foundation Collection published by
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in 1973.
As a result of that publication, and an
associated retrospective exhibition that
I organized at the museum the same
Early on, two-dimensional works that owners thought were by the hand of Frederic Remington were
submitted to the Historical Center for review. This particular pen and ink drawing (10.66) was sent to
the Center in June 1966. It was deemed not Remingtons work, but afterward, the owner was never
heard from again. To this day, such works are routinely sent to the Center for examination.
Spring 2013
Copies
Of all the categories of nonauthentic works, copies seem to be
the most prevalent. It is probably these
pieces that occasioned the Remington
scholar R.W.G. Vail of the New York
Public Library to exclaim as early as
Remingtons The Grass Fire, 1908an oil on canvas now in the collection of the Amon Carter Museum
of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, (1961.228)is the original image of one that appeared in print
and which was later copied by master of the grid.
6 n Points West
Frederic Remingtons Pool in the Desert, 1907 1908 (privately owned), was one of the many
Remington works that was fraudulently copied.
Fakes
Fakes constitute the second largest
category, approximately 23 percent
of inauthentic works submitted to the
Remington certification program. For
our purposes, a fake is described as
a painting or drawing that does not
relate to any known original work by
In 1903 Remington signed an exclusive contract with Colliers magazine to produce works in color
on various historic themes related to the American frontier. As part of that work, he initiated a series
of eleven paintings for the magazine in 1905 which was titled The Great Explorers. Radisson and
Groseilliers, pictured here, is the only painting which remains from the original set. It was a pivotal
piece for the In Search of Frederic Remington exhibition. Gift of Mrs. Karl Frank. 14.86
Forgeries
About 16 percent of all non-original
items presented to the vetting program
have been forgeries. These are typically
paintings and drawings by a recognized
artist whose signature has either been
painted out or cut off, and replaced by
Frederic Remington. Sometimes the
authorship of the painting is readily
recognized, as in the case of the famous
set of black and white oils collected by
Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks
for their Los Angeles home and known
widely as the Pickfair Remingtons.
As it turned out, these works were
created by the hand of a somewhat less
Pastiches
8 n Points West
In summary
These four categories, then, are
representative of several types of
inauthentic flatworks that have been
submitted since the Remington
examination program was formalized in
1985. All tallied, 497 two-dimensional
works have come forward and official
opinions rendered. Of those 497 pieces,
109 (22 percent) have been determined
to be original, such as the untitled 1894
ink wash drawing (opposite) of infantry
and cavalry assembled in camp during
the Spanish-American War that came
before the committee in 2004; it was
not known to exist before that date.
Another 384 pieces (77 percent) were
determined not to be original, and
four works (1 percent) were issued an
inconclusive opinion.
The Center maintains records of
all opinions, and by contract with
the owners can publish or use for
research any results of the committees
findings. The group assembles in Cody
twice annually to do its review of
This untitled ink wash drawing, apparently from 1894, was submitted for examination in 2004, and
the opinion rendered was that it was an original work by Frederic Remington. Image provided by the
Remington catalogue raisonn.
Spring 2013
The Glenbows Warriors Return proved not to be a work of Frederic Remington. Image courtesy of the
Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
10 n Points West
More information
If you are interested in having your
work(s) considered, please read more
on our Web site, www.bbhc.org/explore/
western-art/research,
where
youll
find contact information, more about
Frederic Remington and his work, and
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for
the Remington Examination process. n
This Remington drawing, The Mess Tent at Night, 1890, appeared in Harpers Monthly, November 1891,
for Julian Ralphs story Dan Dunns Outfit. Knowing the original of such illustrations may be out
there somewhere, is motivation enough for an owner to believe his painting or drawing is authentic.
Museum purchase. 11.72
Spring 2013
11
Frederic Remington (1861 1909). The War Bridle, 1907. Oil on canvas. Gift in memory of A. Barton Hepburn and Cordelia H. Cushman. 8.12
12 n Points West
Frank Alexander photo. Image courtesy Peggy Prine, Billings, Montana, and the family of Frank Alexander.
Spring 2013
13
Frank Alexander on horseback with photographic equipment, 1909. Image courtesy Sublette County Historic Preservation Board, Pinedale, Wyoming. Paul
Allen Collection. MM026109
14 n Points West
With Sympathy
We extend sympathy to the families
and friends of brothers Kit and Barry
Cody, and their friend Rob Krieger, who
died together in the crash of a light
plane in Florida on February 14, 2013.
The men were returning from the
Bahamas when the accident occurred.
Along with their brother William
Garlow, who lives in Cody and is one of
the Centers trustees, the Cody brothers
are great grandchildren of William F.
Buffalo Bill Cody.
Smithsonian
collaboration
Smithsonian Affiliations
The Buffalo Bill Historical Center
has collaborated with the Smithsonian
Institutions National Museum of
American History, the Kenneth E.
Behring Center, to bring a very special
exhibition out West at the Historical
Center. Find out more in the next
issue of Points West!
Yes, it seems like two issues of Points West have been mailed in rapid
succession. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the winter 2012 issue was
distributed later than usual. With this issue, publication is nearly back on
schedule. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
Spring 2013
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April
Monday
Tuesday
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Bear Aware Programs
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Family Programs
Greater
14 Yellowstone Raptor Experience
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Sunday
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May
Wednesday
10
Calendar of Events
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Thursday
10
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Friday
For the latest information on programs and events, please see our Web
site at www.bbhc.org, find us on Facebook, or call 307.587.4771. Unless
otherwise noted, all events take place at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
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Saturday
Find us on:
CENTER HOURS
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PHOTO CREDITS:
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June
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
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Antelope Canyon by Frans Lanting, 2007, can be seen in the special exhibition National Geographic Greatest Photographs of
the American West, on view through August 11.
Great horned owl Teasdale, Greater Yellowstone Raptor Experience. Photo by Chris Gimmeson.
Bald eagle at river bank, Yellowstone National Park, June 2003. NPS Photo by Jim Peaco.
Kiowa shield, Southern Plains, ca. 1825 1850. The Paul Dyck Plains Indian Buffalo Culture Collection, acquired through the
generosity of the Dyck family and additional gifts of the Nielson Family and the Estate of Margaret S. Coe. NA.108.131
Grand Entry, 2011 Plains Indian Museum Powwow. Photo by Ken Blackbird.
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Summer family
programs begin
Monday Friday afternoons
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William F. Buffalo Bill Cody at the Irma Hotel bar with George Beck,
second from right, ca. 1910. MS89 Jack Richard Photograph Collection.
PN.89.112.21262.6
Save the Date! Patrons Ball celebrates Prince of Monacos 1913 visit
18 n Points West
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20 n Points West
Development Department staff (L - R): Gina Penn Schneider, Rachel Lee, Coy Evans, Tom Roberson,
Lynn Pitet, Diana Jensen, and Spencer Smith.
Spencer Smith
Database Manager
spencers@bbhc.org 307.578.4134
Spencer is the development teams
donor database guru and is celebrating
his tenth year as a fulltime employee
with the Center. He manages the
database, writes database guides and
manuals, trains users, assists others
in maximizing the capability of the
database for their varying needs,
provides mailing/e-mail/report lists,
researches potential donors, creates
maps for fundraising analysis, assists
in online fundraising and website
enhancement, and performs routine
database maintenance. Spencer is
a native of Cody whose parents are
originally from Canada. He enjoys
hiking and biking in his spare time.
Why he enjoys working in
Development: I enjoy contributing
Membership renewal
As your Buffalo Bill Historical Center membership
renewal date approaches, you can expect to receive
the following communications:
A maximum of two e-mails and/or two letters
before the expiration date (We offer a discount for
renewing early!).
An e-mail and a letter after the expiration date in
the event you havent renewed your membership.
A courtesy phone call.
Other appeals
During the course of the year, we also want you
to know about other Historical Center projects,
Just saying Hi
Finally, in addition to these pieces, we might drop
a notecard or pick up the phone from time to time
just to say howdy. We love hearing from you as well!
Join with us in celebrating the Spirit of the American
Westcall 307.578.4008 to find out how.
Spring 2013
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On the Move:
Buffalo Bills
Boyhood Home
By Anne Marie Shriver
22 n Points West
The Isaac Cody family home overlooking the Mississippi River at LeClaire,
Iowa, ca. 1920. Original Buffalo Bill Museum Collection. P.69.851
Buffalo Bills boyhood home after its move to the Buffalo Bill Museum, July 10,
1950. Mary Jester Allen Collection. P.41.2
Spring 2013
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On the Move:
24 n Points West
Buffalo Bills
Boyhood Home
PRIZE:
Its obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming
century is how to bring a better quality of lifefor 8 billion or more
peoplewithout wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.
E.O. Wilson
Thinking beyond
traditional boundaries
It is in this contextin the need for
more healthy communitiesthat we
can most profitably collect and discuss
our ideas about land stewardship across
Spring 2013
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26 n Points West
and
economies,
conservation
conflicts increase. Conflicts existing in
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National
Parks and adjacent landscapes are
representative of conflicts in other
globally significant conservation sites.
As the worlds first national park,
Yellowstone is an international icon
for biodiversity and natural resources
conservation. It is revered the world
over for its scenic beauty, abundant and
charismatic wildlife, and unparalleled
geothermal features. Yet, it has become
obvious that Yellowstone and Grand
Teton National Parks are not islands
unto themselves capable of sustaining
these treasures indefinitely. As with
other nature reserves around the
world, land management practices
and human activities adjacent to
Yellowstone greatly influence the
wildlife and processes within. Similarly,
management inside the park (e.g., wolf
reintroduction, maintenance of natural
wildfire regimes) affects land use and
economies far beyond its boundaries.
For these reasons, Yellowstone
National Park is now viewed as the
core of a much larger surrounding area,
usually termed the Greater Yellowstone
Ecosystem. This fourteen to eighteen
million-acre
area
encompasses
portions of three states and crosses
Spring 2013
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Gray wolf taxidermy mounts. Gift of Lila D. Putman in Memory of Jack D. Putnam. DRA.305.181 and
DRA.305.182
28 n Points West
A REMINGTON WINCHESTER
In 1894, the final calendar picture
that famed artist Frederic Remington
painted for the Winchester Repeating
Arms Company was published. Three
years later, in 1897, he acquired this
striking Winchester Model 1894 Lever
Action Rifle. This made it a Remington
Winchester and accounts for an
unusual juxtaposition of well-known
firearms names. Unlike most of the
arms that Remington used as study
Spring 2013
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A thousand words
30 n Points West
A thousand words
Color slide by Gabby Barrus. Two young golden eagles in cliffside nest. Gabby Barrus Slide Collection.
Gift of the Barrus Family, Marj, Mick, Jim and Page Barrus. SL301.16.10
s the Draper Museum of Natural History celebrates its tenth anniversary, golden eaglesthe pair of youngsters shown
here was likely captured on film sometime in the 1970s by gifted amateur photographer Gabby Barrusplay an important part in the Drapers active scientific research program, which studies population dynamics and ecology of the
eagles here in the rapidly-changing sagebrush-steppe environments of the Greater Yellowstone region.
As Draper Founding Curator Dr. Charles R. Preston notes in his article in this issue of Points West, the museums golden
eagle field research has recently garnered national attention and promises to provide new insights for public lands conservation and
management.
more about before
the Draper anything
Museums else
creation,
programs,
onpicture
pages 22
27. n
One
is worth
I want
to and future
art,
education,
andRead
particularly
a thousand words.
science, and noted his hopes to visit go West and shoot big game. He
The McCracken Research Library at the Buffalo
universities as well as the Smithsonian especially hoped to hunt bear, and in Bill Historical Center offers access to thousands of
Institution. The Lexington (Kentucky) the end reportedly shot an elk, a deer, historic images for research and publication.
n One picture is worth a thousand words. nTo learn more, contact the library at 307.578.4063,
a bearCenter
during
his
adventures
Herald,
quoted
Prince
Albert
as and
Thethough,
McCracken
Research
Library
at the Buffalo
Bill Historical
offers
access
to thousandsinof historic
images
for research
and publication.
or search
the online
collections
at library.bbhc.
To learn more,
contact
the library
at 307.578.4063,
or searchBill.
the online
http://library.bbhc.org/cdm/.
Wyoming
with Buffalo
n collections atorg/cdm/.
saying at the beginning
of his
travels,
Spring 2013
31
Non-Profit Org.
POSTAGE PAID
Buffalo Bill
Historical Center
at the
Buffalo Bill Historical Center