The Rough Rider - Other Artist
I got a new piece of art for my collection. This particular piece was drawn by my friend Jimmy Worthington, and it is a recreation of a classic American traditional tattoo design called The Rough Rider. Jimmy works in pen and ink recreating traditional flash designs as well as creating his own in this same style. I have a soft spot for that kind of work and if fits my pop art western home ascetic well. Before I get into Jimmy, though, this particular skull has a surprisingly deep history.
The Rough Rider
The design is commonly known today as the Rough Rider skull. Although a skull in a cowboy had is not a new idea and you can find images starting to emerge not long after the 1865 creation of the cowboy hat by John B. Stetson the name “The Rough Rider” probably came from an 1899 calendar image titled “A Rough Rider,” attributed to illustrator Louis Crusius. It depicts a skeleton dressed as a cowboy, connecting the skeleton, Western imagery, and the name “Rough Rider” more than a century ago although it looked nothing like this skull in a cowboy hat.
This specific cowboy skull composition that became famous in tattooing appears in another piece of popular American illustration: the cover of “Death on a Dude Ranch,” a 1937 crime novel by Francis Bonnamy. With the art originally created by illustrator Walter Frame. However this may not be the first.
Tom Berg also has this flash design that looks remarkably like the book cover skull that is dated 1910 making it the oldest known if the date is correct.
I believe the original was from Tom Berg but have no way to verify that and clearly this is an image a lot of people recreated.
And then came Tony Polito. Polito began tattooing in Brooklyn in 1959 his version of the cowboy skull became particularly recognizable, and Polito himself referred to it as the Rough Rider. As far as I can find this is where the name came from.
It’s also been calld “Crazy Sal” after Salvatore DeSarno, “Crazy Sal,” was photographed after being arrested. He had a large version of the rough rider tattooed across his chest. So if that’s what you know it as that’s why.
Jimmy Worthington
Jimmy and I have known each other for about twenty years.
If you know Jimmy or even just look at his username you probably already know he was a Marine, but after being medically discharged, he set his sights on tattooing. He went through an apprenticeship and began working at a tattoo studio in the PNW. Eventually, though, a seizure disorder made tattooing something he could no longer safely do. Yes, I know how familiar this sounds. I have an deep knowledge on how particularly hard this is to lose when you have spent years learning a craft and building your identity around the idea of doing it.
But Jimmy didn’t stop making art. To help with depression he continued drawing.
Some of what he creates are original designs. Some are recreations of traditional flash like the one I bought. Some are his own interpretations of old imagery. And lately, he’s started selling the pieces he makes.
If you like tradition tattoo design and want to support a good artist go check out is art. I put a like under his name, If you see a piece you want don’t be afraid to message him. as of now he doesn’t have a shop set up but I’m working on it with hm.
Love ya’ll and see you Monday
MERC
