1889
oil
canvas
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
The Mexican Major is a 1889 oil by Frederic Remington, a American Impressionism work, held at Art Institute of Chicago.
A Mexican army officer on horseback leads a column of soldiers down a dusty road. The men wear bright uniforms, swords at their sides, and wide-brimmed hats. The scene feels alive with movement. Remington painted this after spending six weeks watching the Mexican army. He loved the soldiers’ flashy uniforms and wanted to show their discipline. The painting was made for a magazine, not a gallery. If you like this, look up *impasto*—the thick, textured brushstrokes that make the colors pop.
Frederic Remington was greatly impressed by the Mexican army, which he observed during a six-week visit to Mexico in 1889 in preparation for an article in Harper’s Weekly magazine. The Mexican Major is an elaborate, multifigural composition, designed to convey the professionalism, discipline, and “immensely picturesque” appearance of the officer and his regiment. Remington enjoyed the soldiers' ornate costumes, and he emphasized these through the use of rhythmic, flashing colors and the depiction of brilliant light. The line of horsemen stretches off into the far distance—a sign of honor,…
W.R. Hearst Collection. George F. Harding Museum, Chicago, by 1982; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1982.
New York, American Art Galleries, 1890 Boston Art Club, 1891. Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings and Bronzes by Frederic Remington Lent by the George F. Harding Museum , June 21–Oct. 10, 1969. Mt. Vernon, Ill., Mitchell Museum, Harding Foundation, Medieval and Renaissance Armor and Weapons, Remington Paintings, Bronzes and Drawings , Dec. 5, 1981–Jan. 31, 1982, cat. no. 405. Art Institute of Chicago, Frederic Remington , Sept. 1–Oct. 11, 1982, no cat. Phoenix Art Museum, Frederic Remington’s Southwest , Jan. 4–Mar. 15, 1992, James K. Ballinger, p. 44, ill.; Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Apr.…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in the genre of Western American Art.
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