Curatorial Narrative The great explorers. IIICoronado by Frederic Remington occupies a pivotal position within the narrative of American art history, its creation in 1905 marking a significant departure from the more fantastical depictions of the Western frontier that characterized earlier works of the artist’s career. Remington’s deliberate shift towards realism, as evidenced by his masterful use of impasto and earthy tones, imbues Coronado with an almost tactile sense of presence, drawing the viewer into the rugged landscape with an unyielding gaze.When enlarged to 59×44 inches, The great explorers. IIICoronado unfolds with a spatial rhythm that is at once both expansive and contained, its chromatic structure oscillating between the muted blues of the horizon and the warm beige tones of the rocky outcroppings. The atmospheric weight of the painting a product of Remington’s deliberate use of light and shadow to convey the vastness