“I had a good time doing this painting,” said Frank McCarthy. “It’s a combination of many forms of Western action. There’s the galloping of the horses, but also the rushing of the water and even the movement of the clouds above.”

Frank McCarthy was often called “the master of Western action” and The Roar of the Falls is evidence of his claim to that title. The painting showcases his artistic strengths in a thrilling image of Sioux warriors surging across Wyoming’s Yellowstone Territory. The dramatic action of the figures is emphasized by the careful setting of shadow and light.