Riding Tall: The Cowboy in Art at the Phoenix Art Museum. 
The image of the lone man on horseback has intrigued us for decades. “Few characters personify a region in quite the same way the cowboy atop his trusted horse represents the American West. Long a standard subject in popular culture, the cowboy has come to symbolize everything from the hard-working, chivalric individualist to the heavy-drinking, thieving gunslinger. Whether wearing the symbolic white hat of the good guy or the villain’s black hat, the cowboy is recognized world-wide, instantly identified by his unique style of clothing. From the 19th century to today, artists have played to and against the stereotypes, helping to further the collective fascination with this Western American icon.”
Riding Tall: The Cowboy in Art
Phoenix Art Museum / Lyon Gallery Until 9/15/2013
Phoenix, Arizona