Indian Buck; Indian Squaw: Two Works

Throughout his long and successful career, Charles Marion Russell documented the history of the Western frontier in paintings, watercolor, sculpture and prose. Many of these works captured triumphant scenes of heroic Indians set against sweeping Western landscape. In the present works, Russell has instead revealed a more personal approach to his typical subjects. During the winter of 1888-89, Russell lived among the Blood Indians on their reservation in Alberta, Canada. This experience had a profound impact on the artist and his work. While among the Blood Indians, Russell gained a deeper understanding of the community's history and culture, a knowledge that intensified his sympathy and respect for a way of life that was quickly disappearing. The artist's deep respect for the Native Americans of the Plains found direct expression in his art throughout the rest of his career.

Indian Buck and Indian Squaw demonstrate Russell's exceptional experience and training, as he captures both the finest details and the overall essence of his subjects. Much of the power of the artist's most important paintings lies in their ability to convey his intimate knowledge of and respect for those who inhabit the West. Russell's self-taught draftsmanship allows him to render the detail of form and dress of each figure while his sensitive use of color lends accuracy to the image and provides a stunning depiction of the individual Native American standing before his indigenous land.