End of the Trail - Bronze Figurine - James Earle Fraser Statue

End of the Trail – Bronze Figurine – James Earle Fraser

"End of the Trail" is an iconic bronze sculpture created by the American artist James Earle Fraser. It was first showcased in 1915 at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco and has since become one of the most famous and frequently reproduced works of art representing the American West. Here's an in-depth look at this remarkable sculpture:

 

Artist: James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) was an American artist and sculptor known for his depictions of the American West. He studied at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago and later at the Académie Julian in Paris.

 

Inspiration and Significance: The sculpture depicts an exhausted Native American on a similarly weary horse, intended to symbolize the suffering and despair of America's Indigenous peoples following centuries of struggle and displacement. Fraser, who grew up in the American West, witnessed the ongoing hardships faced by Native Americans, experiences that profoundly shaped his work.

 

Design: "End of the Trail" features a powerless warrior slumped over his horse's neck, his head bowed in a gesture of defeat and resignation. The sculpture is renowned for its emotion and motion, with both horse and rider exuding fatigue and defeat.

Original Execution and Reproductions: The sculpture was originally created in plaster for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Due to its positive reception and symbolic value, "End of the Trail" was later cast in bronze. There are several reproductions and versions of the sculpture in various sizes, distributed throughout the United States.

Location: One of the most notable bronze replicas is housed in the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.

 

Criticism and Controversy: While "End of the Trail" has long been viewed as a poignant symbol of the suffering and oppression of Native Americans, some critics and Indigenous groups have critiqued the work. They argue that it promotes a one-dimensional and stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans that fails to recognize their resilience, survival, and ongoing presence and culture.

"End of the Trail" remains a powerful piece of art, sparking important discussions about the portrayal of Native Americans in art and the history of their treatment in the United States.

This sculpture, which is limited to 20 pieces, reminds of the history of Native Americans.

Our bronze products are unanimously created by using the lost wax technique, which guarantees the best results. All of our military statues for sale are made of 100% bronze and are subject to our strict quality guidelines. Every bronze statue is cast by hand.

James Earle Fraser lived from 1876 to 1953. During the first half of the 20th century, he was a successful US-American sculptor. As a child, he lived at the frontier, where he saw how the Native Americans were more and more driven to the West. Those early childhood memories inspired him and numerous of his creations in his later work as a sculptor. He learned his trade at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Subsequently, he moved to Paris to attend the École des Beaux Arts and the Académie Julian. He also was the assistant of Richard Bock and Augustus Saint-Gaudens, from whom he learned a lot and later on managed to open his own studio. He created great art and passed on his knowledge at the Art Students League in New York.


Height: 50 cm
Width: 35 cm
Depth: 14 cm
Weight: 12.8 Kg