Artwork
The Outlier
The Outlier is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Frederic Remington. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
About this work
Overview
Frederic Remington’s 1909 oil painting titled The Outlier portrays a solitary Native American rider in an open meadow. The figure, bare‑chested and adorned with a feathered headdress, clutches a rifle while astride a brown horse with a white face. A rising full moon illuminates a gentle hill in the distance, casting a warm light over the blue sky and vivid green grass.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a lone warrior, emphasizing themes of isolation and resilience within a frontier landscape. The juxtaposition of the rider’s traditional attire and modern firearm suggests a moment of cultural transition, while the moonlit setting adds a contemplative, almost mythic atmosphere to the scene.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, Remington employs a restrained palette of earth tones punctuated by the luminous moonlight. His brushwork captures the texture of the horse’s coat and the grass’s vitality, while the soft gradations of sky and light demonstrate his skill in rendering atmospheric effects typical of late‑19th‑century American realism.
History & Provenance
The Outlier was completed in 1909 and later entered the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s interest in representing the American West and the work of artists who documented that era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederic Sackrider Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in the genre of Western American Art.
