Charles Cary Rumsey (1879-1922)

Charles Cary Rumsey’s clear understanding of equine anatomy is attributed, in part, to his being a rider himself. In 1917 he served as Captain of the Cavalry and in the following year he led troops in France.  He also became an important polo player, riding with Averell Harriman, Thomas Hitchcock, Seymour Knox, Devereaux Milburn, and Watson Webb. In 1922 Rumsey competed in preliminaries for the International Polo Cup as part of the U. S. team. He sculpted equestrian portraits of fellow team members, and he even created bronze portraits of famous race horses owned by Harry Payne Whitney, August Belmont, and Mary Harriman, whom he married in 1910. The Wave is a metaphoric work skillfully combining riders with powerful horses. The sculpture’s green patina came from years of weathering outdoors. —NW