Frank Magsino - Strong Hearts to the Front 20" x 32"

Frank Magsino (Filipino, 1937-2020)
Strong Hearts to the Front, June 17, 1876, 1995

Oil on board
Board: 20” x 32”

Signed and Lower Right: Frank Magsino / 1995

This dynamic painting captures a powerful moment in history when a band of Indigenous Americans charge into the Battle of the Rosebud on 17 June, 1876. The intensity of their speed and the fury on their faces is palpable, as they charge armed with guns and spears. The terrain they ride on is warmly lit by a summer sun, with wildflowers growing in patches amidst the grass and sagebrush. Although what they are charging into is outside the frame, the viewer is drawn into the action by the striking composition and the dramatic energy of the scene.

The Battle of the Rosebud was fought during the Great Sioux War of 1876 between the United States government (and its Crow and Shoshoni allies) and the Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne peoples. It was a tactical victory by the Indigenous Americans. The well-known Lakota leader Crazy Horse was involved in the conflict.

Provenance:
March in Montana, 36^th Annual March in Montana Auction, March 17, 2023
Private Collection, Utah