The West of the Imagination

In the early to mid 1800's the West was being explored and documented. It was not practical for photographers to lug enormous amounts of equipment and processing gear. Artist were utilized to document the new frontier. They painted pictures and drew sketches of the west. The greatest significance from this was establishing history for the American Indian, The Mountain Men, and the West in general. They replicated in precise detail the colors, expressions, and way of life which was about to drastically change. As settlers moved in from the east, they brought with them their own way of life that would alter the manner in which the American Indians had lived for a thousand or more years. Likewise they documented the mountain men which was a short lived era, approximately 20 years. Artist George Catlin, Alfred Jacob Miller and others of this era knew that the way of life for the American Indian would rapidly change with the influence of white settlers. Their paintings record the American Indian dress, behavior, and lifestyle in detail just prior to the change that was so rapidly to take place. During the second half of the 1800's another artist had a similar desire. His contribution and focus was documenting the cowboy. His name was Frederic Remington.