Sculpture Guide: Code of the West

Code of the West

By Herb Mignery
1998

Location: Northeast corner of the property, next to the street

The artist Herb Mignery, from a family of cattle ranchers, sought to define the people and values of the West in this sculpture. As a result, he sculpted two cowboys on horseback shaking hands. This action represents the unwritten code that a man’s word is as good as his bond. Notice that the horses are intertwined and embracing, echoing the sentiment of their riders.

Recently, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West loaned this sculpture to Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody for a few years, sharing the artwork and its symbolism of the West with travelers arriving and departing the airport. In 2014, Code of the West returned to the grounds of the Center, and now holds a prominent place at the curve at the northeast of the edge of the property.

Herb Mignery (b. 1937).  Code of the West, 1998. Bronze, H 140 x W 172 inches. Gift of Mike Kammerer / Code of the West Foundation. 9.01