A tribute to the colorful characters of the American wild west who have passed on, at Gallery 408 in Carrizozo, New Mexico.
The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United States, western Canada and northern Mexico, with country-western singers, and for participants in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of Old West cowboy lore. The shape of a cowboy hat's crown and brim are often modified by the wearer for fashion and to protect against weather. The working cowboy wore wide-brimmed, high-crowned hats long before the invention of the modern design. However, credit for "invention" of the cowboy hat as it is known today is generally given to John Batterson Stetson. Stetson was the first to market the "Boss of the plains," to Cowboys, where it has remained the universal image of the American West.[16] The charisma of the West was carried back East when adventurers returned in the expensive “Boss of the plains,” style hat. In the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, a hat was an indispensable item in every man’s wardrobe. Stetson focused on expensive, high-quality hats that represented both a real investment for the working cowboy and statement of success for the city dweller. The durability and water-resistance of the original Stetson obtained additional publicity in 1912, when the battleship USS Maine was raised from Havana harbor, where it had sunk in 1898. A Stetson hat was found in the wreck, which had been submerged in seawater for 14 years. The hat had been exposed to ooze, mud, and plant growth. However, the hat was cleaned off, and appeared to be undamaged.
Size: 3540px × 5320px
Location: Carrizozo, New Mexico, USA, United States, America
Photo credit: © M L Pearson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: allegorical, allegory, america, archetype, carrizozo, education, essence, icon, iconic, memorial, metaphor, metaphorical, mexico, representative, southwest, symbol, symbolic, symbolism, tourism, travel, tribute, usa, west
