The Right of the Road 1900

Frederic Remington created this artwork with ink wash, which plunges us into a kinetic drama on a dusty track. The stagecoach, a symbol of civilization and expansion, is challenged by the lone cyclist. Here, the motif of horses, long associated with power and conquest, meets its mechanical-age rival. The horses, their muscles tensed, evoke a primal energy that recalls ancient friezes of battle and triumph. Consider how the rearing stance of these creatures echoes those in classical equestrian statues—yet here, they face not a military foe, but a symbol of modernity. The encounter is laden with tension, embodying the clash between tradition and progress. This image taps into our collective memory, and the underlying anxiety that accompanies change, progress, and human evolution. It’s a snapshot of a world in flux, where symbols of the past confront an uncertain future, forever caught in the crosscurrents of time.