Name/Title
The End of the TrailEntry/Object ID
220Description
Oval base, roughly textured with rocky formation on which stands a horse with head lowered, ears drooping downward, mane falling forward. On horse's back is a realistic 3-D American Plains Indian wearing moccasins, loin cloth and buffalo robe. Upper body is bare, head droops forward, braids fall forward, blowing in the wind. Indian carries a lance in right hand. This is a later version of the 1894 work. The artist changed the braids and the mane in this version to suggest a strong wind blowing from behind. Slightly green patina.Collection
John L. Wehle CollectionMade/Created
Artist
Fraser, James Earle, 1876-1953Manufacturer
Roman Bronze Works FoundryDate made
1894 - 1918Place
City
New York CityState/Province
New YorkCountry
United States of AmericaContinent
North AmericaNotes
Date: 1894 (cast 1918)Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
InscriptionLocation
Rear right baseTranscription
© Fraser 1918. Roman Bronze Works NYLanguage
EnglishMaterial/Technique
CastDimensions
Height
27 inWidth
9 inLength
32-1/2 inInterpretative Labels
Label Type
Cultural/Historical ContextLabel
James Earle Fraser was one of the most famous American sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Born in South Dakota in 1876, Fraser witnessed the forced removal of Native American tribes from their traditional hunting grounds, a sight that inspired End of the Trail. The artist was only 18 years old when he sculpted his first version of this work. End of the Trail won numerous awards, including a prize from a Parisian competition that allowed Fraser to study in Italy where he studied the sculpture of Michelangelo.
When Fraser returned home, he reworked End of the Trail into the form exhibited here. He altered the buffalo hides to reveal his more sophisticated modeling of human musculature. He also changed the mane and braids to suggest a strong wind from behind, adding a sense of motion that heightened the drama of this heroic piece.