The Fireboat 1918

Charles M. Russell made this painting, called The Fireboat, with oil paints and an eye for storytelling. You can see how Russell builds the scene with layers of color, like he's sketching with light, warm yellows and oranges against cool blues and greens. Look closely, and you'll see how the brushstrokes almost vibrate, creating a sense of movement and life across the canvas. The impasto is thick in places, especially in the foreground, giving texture to the rocks and foliage, while the sky is smoother. That steamboat chugging up the river is this tiny little symbol of the coming changes to this landscape. Russell's work reminds me of Frederic Remington, another artist who captured the American West, but Russell has a more romantic, less gritty feel. What I love about this piece is the way it holds onto a moment, a pause before everything changes.