Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-27
Praised by Roosevelt.

1t is not often that a painter gets his
credentials from the White House; but
in the case of Frederick Remington Mr.
Roosevelt when President, said: HE is.
of course. one of the most typical Ameri-
can artists we have ever had. and he has
portrayed a most characteristic and yet
vanishing type of American life. The
soldier the cowboy and the rancher, the
Indian. the horses and the cattle of the
plains will live in his pictures and
bronzes. / verify believe, for all time.
This notable tribute echoes the senti-
ment of countless Americans who have
been following Mr.. Remington's work for
a quarter of a century. His red men and
army scouts, his COW punchers and buck
ing bronchos have helped to keep alive
the traditions of the most picturesque
phase of our national history. He has
been the fountain-head of all authentic
portrayals of the wild west.
In his earlier years as an illustrator
and painter Frederic Remington used to
say that when he died he wanted some
one to carve on his tombstone He knew
the horse" Probably he long ago form
ed other views as to a suitable synopsis
OF his career. yet it is as painter of
horses that most people know and first
think of him. He first fixed his person
atty on the public mind by his represen-
tations of horses. which even gave rise
to a considerable controversy as to
whether he used a camera or whether,
on the other hand, he painted horses in
impossible postures- 1t remained for an
improved camera to demonstrate that
Remington had seen correctly and accu-
rately. One admrer wrote of him: He
knows a horse from the prick of his ears
to the frogs Of his feet" Another wrote:
He knows every hair on pony and
YOU need only to put Remington the
writer and Remington the artist together
to make the greatest pony that ever gal
lOped up and down the pages of book
with cowboy on his back.
College Foot Ball Star.
Frederic Remington was born at Cam
ton, n. Y, in 1851, His father was
newspaper man, and wanted him to fol-
low the same profession. But when he
showed a leaning toward art, the older
man offered no objection, as the case
usually is, and when the young man was
about eighteen, that was in 1850 he
sent him to the Yale University Art
School. He made pretense of working
here for year and half. but he ad-
mits himself that he found out more
about foot ball than he did about the
principles of fine art. He was member
Of Walter Camps original foot ball team.
At that time Walter Camp was prac-
tically inventing the American game, and
Mr.. Remington assisted him practically
in his experiments. He took part in other
athletic sports as well.
After drawing from the antique and
gaining some little skill with the pencil,
young Remington gave up this study and
went to Albany as the confidential clerk
of Gov. Cornell. Things were too slow
for him. and. finally. all things con-
sidered. it seemed decidedly best-in fact
the only thing to do-to go west.
As a "Cowpuncher."
Accordingly, a few weeks later found
in Montana.
Punching COWS in Montana may not
seem to have much to do with history
of his artistic career. but in fact it had
everything to do with il. Had he not
lived four years in the saddle. as n bona
fide cowboy, he would never have pos
sessed the intimate knowledge of horses
that was the secret of his wonderful sue
cess. nor the knowledge of cows and
Indians, and the men who rough it.
From here he went to Kansas and
started a mule ranch. He made money
and made a good thing of this. selling
out after a short time. Then he wan
dered farther south, serving as ranch
man. Indian scout, anything and every
thing that offers on a wild western plain.
At last he dropped his wad. as COM
boys term it-that is, lost his money
So he made some drawings and took
them into the Harpers. That is where
every one goes when he begins to draw
pictures. Some find fortune waiting for
them. as did Reinhart and Smedley and
Remington. They took his pictures
though he was afterward told that the
drawings were pretty bad. But they were
fresh and original, and nobody had work
ed that vein before. and. as result,
Remington got an order to go out west
again to make illustrations for a special
series of articles. and since then he
Travelled from one end of this country
10 the other. over and over. He was In
two Indian campaigns.
Until four years ago he had not visited
Europe at all Then he went with Poult-
uey Bigelow and got fired OUT of Rus
STA. His opinion of the Russians was not
at all f1attering. When asked if they