Indian Braves

Charles M. Russell

1899 · Watercolor on paper · The American Wing

Russell, who was known as the “Cowboy Artist,” relied on his personal experiences as a Montana rancher and wrangler for the detailed realism of his sculptures, paintings, and sketches. At the same time, he mythologized his Old West subjects through dramatic narratives and generalized types. Here, armed braves on horseback advance slowly toward the edge of a hill; their leader gestures for them to wait as he surveys the landscape below him. The outcome of the scenario remains tantalizingly unanswered.

Artist

Charles M. Russell

Date

1899

Medium

Watercolor on paper

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Thorne E. Lloyd, 1970