His feet set firmly in their stirrups, hand gripping the reigns, and six shooter raised high, Luis Jiménez's Vaquero has held fast to his bucking stallion for yet another year. Mounted outside our 8th and G streets entrance, Vaquero has not only tirelessly endured the temper of his steed but also the sun, wind, rain, ice, and debris that annually rakes the District. Yet, as the sun rises over the cityscape today, our steadfast rider and his horse will receive a well-deserved treatment to remedy any injuries and prepare them for another season on the steps.

 

Over the course of the next five days, Vaquero will be scrubbed from top to bottom to remove a yearlong buildup of city-bred grime and residue. Once cleaned and dried, our conservators will painstakingly consolidate any cracks or flakes in the sculpture's fiberglass composition with a specialized adhesive. After his losses have been filled and his strength restored, Vaquero will receive a new coat of protective wax and a final buffing in anticipation of another year as the dashing sentry of our museum. This preservative treatment will allow Jiménez's Vaquero to spend his 16th year in the saddle and we encourage you to swing by to see just how good an old cowboy can look.

Watch the conservators at work this week (Monday through Friday) outside the museum at 8th and G Streets, NW., and/or check the Lunder Center's Facebook page for regular updates!

 
-- Chris
Meet the Social Media Team

 

8th & F Streets NW