Editorial Cartoonists of the Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) :: MISCELLANEOUS - WESTERNS

Rider in Solitude: Plains Echo in Editorial Ink

Artist: UNKNOWN (Penciller)

2 Comments - 57 Views - 0 Like

Rider in Solitude: Plains Echo in Editorial Ink Comic Art

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Rider in Solitude (letter reverse side)

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Artwork Details

Title:	Rider in Solitude: Plains Echo in Editorial Ink
Artist:	UNKNOWN (Penciller)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Sketch Card
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	57
Likes on CAF:	0 1
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	7/21/2025
Comic Art Archive:

Description

This anonymous western rider illustration, tentatively titled �Rider in Solitude: Plains Echo in Editorial Ink,� is executed in ink on illustration board and dates to circa 1945�1955. The composition features a solitary rider mounted on a compact, muscular horse whose physical traits suggest a Quarter Horse lineage, while its posture and emotional resonance evoke Mustang iconography. Mid-step and gently angled in the frame, the horse�s neutral head position conveys quiet momentum rather than dramatic action, aligning the piece with Tribal/Historical pulp genres such as Frontier Stories and Zane Grey�s Western Magazine.

The rider wears editorially restrained Plains attire � a simplified buckskin-style shirt, soft-soled moccasins, and a vertically feathered headdress � rendered with silhouette clarity rather than decorative embellishment. Additional visual details include a minimalist bridle consistent with Native construction methods, a plain saddle paired with a muted striped blanket reminiscent of Navajo simplicity, and a short Plains-style bow with uniformly fletched arrows housed in a cylindrical back quiver. These elements signal preparedness and solitude, underscoring the emotional restraint and cultural dignity favored in mid-century freelance submissions.

The illustration is accompanied by a typewritten submission letter, typed in a monospaced serif font (likely Elite or Courier) via manual typewriter, further anchoring its creation in the 1940s�1950s. The letter�s tone is modest yet sincere, with phrases such as �I was wondering if�� and �western and detective themes,� suggesting a speculative pitch to genre publishers. Its formatting � single-spaced lines, traditional salutation (�Gentlemen�), and lack of return address � reinforces the freelance intent and rural authorship. These clues, taken together, confirm the illustration�s identity not as published work, but as the quiet voice of editorial ambition.

Seller credentials: The illustration was acquired in 2025 from a Michigan estate sale. The seller, daughter of two longtime bottle collectors and club contributors, recalled the artwork leaning for decades against the wall of her parents� bottle room � propped up by an antique flower frog and surrounded by shelves of 19th-century whiskey bottles, many unearthed by the family during summer digs across Cheboygan and Mackinaw. Though no formal attribution or publication record was provided, the seller�s detailed account adds regional specificity and emotional resonance. Her recollection of the piece as a constant fixture among antique Americana and pulp-era ephemera reinforces its provenance as a surviving artifact of freelance storytelling and quiet cultural stewardship.

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About the Owner

	Alan E Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	May 2025
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
On CAF:	Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Comments on this Artwork

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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 7/21/2025

Classic western trope with an overlook view of the plains and the horizon in the back.

Alan E
Member Since 2025

Posted on 7/21/2025

Marcus Wai wrote:

Classic western trope with an�overlook view of the plains and the horizon in the back.

Nice essay — now here's my sentence that says the same thing.:)

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