b. 1864 d. 1926
Site Affiliation: C.M. Russell Museum
Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926) masterfully captured the art and soul of the American West through 4,000+ recorded works featuring oil paintings, watercolor, sculpture, and writing. Russell achieved this by establishing an inspired visual record celebrating Indigenous culture, Western narratives, grand landscapes, and majestic wildlife scenes. While his art is considered historic, his spirit is timeless.
Though Charlie was an internationally acclaimed “original cowboy artist,” he humbly valued friendship more than fame. His infectious humor, gifted storytelling, advocacy, and illustrated “paper talk” letters continue to elevate a treasured legacy. Charlie inspired loyalty from a diverse inner circle that included family, Great Falls neighbors, contemporary artists, Northern Plain tribal members, and fellow luminaries such as John Ford and Will Rogers.
Primary Medium: Painting, Sculpture, Writing
Primary Stylistic Term: Western Art
Fun Fact: Russell became friends with indigenous tribes and was dubbed “Ah-Wah-Cous,” which translates to antelope, owing to the buckskin patch on the back of his wool pants resembling the hindquarters of an antelope.
Recommended Publications: Charles M. Russell: The Life and Legend of America’s Cowboy Artist by John Taliaferro (University of Oklahoma Press, 1996); Charles M. Russell: Legacy by Larry Len Peterson (TwoDot, 1999); Back-Tracking in Memory: The Life of Charles M. Russell, Artist, eds. Thomas A. Petrie and Brian W. Dippie. (C.M. Russell Museum, 2021); Charles M. Russell, Word Painter: Letters 1887-1926 (1993)