The Fire Eater Raised His Arms to the Thunder Bird
1900
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1900
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
A man in fringed buckskin raises his arms against a stormy sky. Lightning cracks behind him, and a giant bird shape looms in the clouds. The scene feels wild and fast. Remington painted this near the end of his life, when he was trying to show more than just cowboys and cavalry. The thunder bird is a figure from Native American stories, but Remington never traveled west of the Mississippi. He worked from photos and sketches sent by friends. Look up *impasto* to see how thick paint can make lightning feel real.
