Dan Bates “Pistol Charge” Bronze Sculpture

Dan Bates “Pistol Charge” original bronze sculpture. Limited edition. One of 10 made (this is number 7 of 10) Artist of the year in 1994. Dan Bates, a third generation Tucsonan, has a passion for the American West which stemmed from spending a significant amount of time at his grandparents ranch in the Chracahua mountains in southeastern Arizona. A traditional sculpture, Bates uses the “lost wax” method to create bronzes. His sculptures capture the historical significance of early frontier days. He is an accomplished equestrian and a founding member of the “State of Arizona 1st Company Governors Horse Guards”, a mounted cavalry regiment. Pistol Charge was inspired by an incident the artist witnessed while riding with the 5th Memorial Unit at an Apache War re-enactment at Fort Huachuca. As two cavalrymen draw their pistols, one horse has lost his footing and is tumbling to the ground. The artist has donated Pistol Charge number 4 of 10 to the Tucson Museum of Art where it resides today. This version was purchased by my father from the artist in the early 1980s.