The Fire-Eater Slung His Victim Across His Pony
c. 1900
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
109.2 × 69.4 cm (40 1/4 × 27 5/16 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
97897
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Frederic Remington’s *The Fire-Eater Slung His Victim Across His Pony* (c. 1900) captures a tense moment from the American frontier, rendered in vivid oil on canvas. Remington, celebrated for his dynamic portrayals of the Old West, specialized in scenes of cowboys, Native Americans, and cavalry that blended observation with dramatic storytelling. Here, the title suggests a raid or conflict, with the central figure of “Fire-Eater” conveying both action and cultural encounter. Painted around 1900, as the frontier era was fading into memory, the work reflects Remington’s role in shaping popular ...
About the Artist
Frederic Remington
Frederic Remington (1861–1909) was an American painter, sculptor, and illustrator who became the preeminent visual chronicler of the American West. Born in Canton, New York, he studied briefly at the Yale School of the Fine Arts and the Art Students League of New York before making his first trip west in 1881, where he found the subject matter that would define his career. Remington's paintings a...