Charlie russell biography

Russell produced about 4, works of art, including oil and watercolor paintings, drawings and sculptures in wax, clay, plaster and other materials, some of which were also cast in bronze. A collection of short stories called Trails Plowed Under [ 15 ] was published a year after his death.

Charlie russell biography

In , Charles M. Russell Elementary School was built in Missoula, Montana. Russell High School , in honor of Russell. Ian Tyson 's album, Cowboyography , includes a song titled "The Gift" telling the story of Russell. Michael Nesmith , of Monkees fame, recorded a song titled "Laugh Kills Lonesome" which was inspired by, and describes the contents of, a well-known Russell painting of the same name.

Louis Walk of Fame. James McDowell Sr. Russell was inducted into the inaugural class of the Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame in The Charles M. Russell , was named in his honor and launched in in Portland , Oregon. In July , the price of Russell's work soared again. A collection of 30 pieces of Russell's art were sold for several million dollars at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction held in Reno, Nevada in July , setting new records for many pieces.

Russell's works comprised a wide variety of topics, including major historical events and everyday life in the west. His work was noted for the frequency with which he portrayed well-known events from the point of view of Native American people instead of the non-Native viewpoint. He was noted for a keen eye on the social undercurrents of society and the meticulous authenticity with which he portrayed the clothing and equipment of both cowboys and Native people.

Historians studying women's roles in the West have critiqued Russell's portrayal of women. They note the contrasting levels of sensuality in his depictions of white and native women, as he seemed to transfer sexuality from white to Native women, so as to conform to the moral standards and perceptions of women in his time. Most of Russell's portrayals of white women are shown as "pure" and non-sexual, other than those paintings specifically depicting prostitutes.

In contrast, his series of five Keeoma paintings and related images show a sensual native woman. They are documented by the statement that Keeoma was a real woman whom Russell had loved. Photographs exist that show the body model for these images was Russell's wife, Nancy. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikisource Wikidata item. American artist — For other uses, see Charlie Russell disambiguation. Louis , Missouri, U. Great Falls, Montana , U. Childhood [ edit ]. Montana and the West [ edit ]. Depictions of Charles Marion Russell [ edit ]. Portrait by A. Russell working in his studio in Great Falls , Montana.

Russell and his friends. A detail of the picture was used for a Montana U. Postage Stamp in Tributes [ edit ]. Auction [ edit ]. Notable works [ edit ]. By the end of his career, Russell was truly prolific. He completed approximately 4, works of oil painting, watercolor, and sculpture, done in wax, clay, plaster, and bronze. Russell's coffin was displayed in a glass sided coach, pulled by four black horses.

In , he was added to the St. Furthermore, The C. Russell Museum Complex located in Great Falls, Montana houses more than 2, Russell artworks, personal objects, and artifacts. Russell Museum. March 18, Louis Walk of Fame Inductees. Russell also kept up with other artists of his ilk, including painter Edward "Ed" Borein and Will Crawford the illustrator.

On the day of Russell's funeral in , all the children in Great Falls were released from school to watch the funeral procession. Russell's coffin was displayed in a glass sided coach, pulled by four black horses. A collection of short stories called Trails Plowed Under was published a year after his death. Also, in , Russell's wife, Nancy, published a collection of his letters in which was titled Good Medicine.

From Wikipedia. Charles M. Charles Marion Russell. Russell created more than 2, paintings of cowboys, Indians, and landscapes set in the Western United States, in addition to bronze sculptures. Known as 'the cowboy artist' ,[ 2] Russell was also a storyteller and author. The C. Russell Museum Complex located in Great Falls, Montana houses more than 2, Russell artworks, personal objects, and artifacts.

Art was always a part of Russell's life. Growing up in Missouri, he drew sketches and made clay figures of animals. Russell had an intense interest in the wild west and would spend hours reading about it. Russell would watch explorers and fur traders who frequently came through Missouri. Russell's instructor was Col. William H. Fulkerson who had married into the Russell family.

At the age of sixteen, Russell left school and went to Montana to work on a sheep ranch. In , by the age of 18, Russell was working as a cattle hand. The harsh winter of and provided the inspiration for a painting that would give Russell his first taste of publicity. According to stories, Russell was working on the O-H Ranch in the Judith Basin of Central Montana when the ranch foreman received a letter from the owner, asking how the cattle herd had weathered the winter.

Instead of a letter, the ranch foreman sent a postcard-sized watercolor Russell had painted of gaunt steer being watched by wolves under a gray winter sky. The ranch owner showed the postcard to friends and business acquaintances and eventually displayed it in a shop window in Helena, Montana.