Painted in 1895, The Puncher was a gift by Frederic Remington to his friend and noted illustrator Howard Pyle in return for one of Pyle's pirate illustrations, which had caught Remington's eye.

Remington could not help seeing "The Puncher" (cowhand) as a heroic figure. He wrote, "The cowboys of whom I meet - many are quiet, determined and very courteous and pleasant to talk to. Their persons show wear and exposure, and all together they look more as though they followed cattle than the pursuit of pleasure. Such lined and grizzled and sun scorched faces are really quite unique."

The most striking part of a cowboy's rig is the chaparajos or huge lethern overalls that he is apt to wear. These originated in the mesquite or chaparral country, where the cattle business had its origin and where jeans or cords would be torn to shreads in a day. Hard and dangerous though his exsistance was, the open plains had yet a wild attraction that strongly attracted the bold, free spirit.

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