Amon Carter print details
A bronze sculpture of a cowboy balancing on a rearing horse.
A bronze sculpture of a cowboy balancing on a rearing horse.
A bronze sculpture of a cowboy balancing on a rearing horse.

The Broncho Buster

Frederic Remington (1861-1909)

Object Details

  • Date

    1909, cast ca. 1910-1914

  • Object Type

    Sculptures

  • Medium

    Bronze

  • Contributors

    Cast by Roman Bronze Works

  • Object Format

    Lost-wax casting

  • Dimensions

    32 1/8 x 29 3/4 x 19 1/2 in.

  • Edition

    No. 5 of an estimated 19 estate casts made during Eva Remington's lifetime. No casts were completed during the artist's lifetime, although one cast was underway just before his death.

  • Inscriptions

    signed on the top of the base: Copyright by \ Frederic Remington

    Inside the base: N[o]. 5--

    Foundry Mark:

    On the side of the base: ROMAN BRONZE WORKS[.]N-Y-

  • Collection Name

    Amon G. Carter Collection

  • Credit Line

    Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth, Texas, Amon G. Carter Collection

  • Accession Number

    1961.4

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Object Description

In November 1909, Remington began this large version of The Broncho Buster, commenting, “It will make your eyes hang out of your shirt, get ready to retire the small one.” The model was completed and shipped within weeks, but Remington died the day after Christmas and never saw the finished work.

Today, the sculpture is a powerful representation of cowboy mystique—the ruggedness and individuality of those legendary figures serving for some people as a symbol of American identity. This perhaps explains why a version resides in the Oval Office and can often be seen on a credenza in the background during televised presidential addresses.

Additional details

Location: On view
Part of: Amon G. Carter Collection
W28-artist-CMYK-CarterBlack
See more by Frederic Remington

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Educator Resources

  • What might be the benefits of using bronze to create a sculpture?

    What process might an artist follow in creating a bronze sculpture?

    How do artists create a sense of movement, motion, or action in their artworks?

    How does a three-dimensional artwork compare to a two-dimensional one?

    What role does art play in forming people's perceptions of the American West?

  • Grades Pre-K–1

    Have the students make a galloping sound with their hands on their legs. Also, have the students act like they are on the horse. How does it feel?

    All Levels

    Activity 1
    Students will explore narrative by imagining what would happen if this sculpture were to come to life and the action were to play out. Students can draw a picture or write a paragraph to tell the story about what happens next to the cowboy.

    Activity 2
    Students will create a setting. Imagine where this scene is taking place and draw or paint a setting to place the sculpture in.

    Activity 3
    To encourage close looking, students will select a detail from the sculpture and make a sketch of that detail. What is the shape? What kind of lines does that detail make? What is its texture?

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