Indian Attack 1910

Charles M. Russell made this watercolor in 1910 using fluid brushstrokes in shades of brown, yellow, and blue. I imagine Russell, out in the open air, with his paints and brushes depicting a scene, caught in motion and full of drama. There’s an Indian attack, and you can sense the speed, chaos, and intensity of the moment. The figures are rendered with a sense of immediacy, capturing the energy of the scene. The paint is applied thinly and with delicate precision, and you can see how the surface conveys a sense of atmosphere. The light seems to permeate the scene, giving it a warm glow. The work of other painters like Frederic Remington comes to mind, who captured the spirit of the American West. The subject matter may be historical, but the way Russell painted, so directly and spontaneously, makes it modern. I appreciate how artists inspire one another across time, in an ongoing dialogue of mark-making and experimentation.