Frederic Remington (1861-1909)

'The Rattlesnake' was first copyrighted in 1905 and then re-worked by the artist three years later in a larger version. Michael Greenbaum notes that "the rearing bronc and rider, posed masterfully in a spiraling sweep of motion, became one of Remington's most popular works. The artist's 'marvelous knowledge of anatomy, action and expression' were strikingly infused in the bronze's unfolding drama. Shortly after it was completed, Collier's further called it 'the work of a master's hand.'" (Icons of the West: Frederic Remington's Sculpture, Ogdensburg, New York, 1996, p. 123)