Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell

A watercolor painting of a group of Indigenous people dressed for battle on horseback fighting each other with rifles, bows and arrows, and tomahawks.
February 11–May 13, 2012
Second floor

This special exhibition of some of the finest watercolors by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) displays depictions of the Old West never before brought together. In addition to the watercolors, the exhibition also includes a special conservation section devoted to the technical aspect of his work. Actual studio materials such as his paints, brushes, and his last watercolor palette are on display.

Russell’s advice to a fellow artist to “cinch your saddle on romance” defined his work, where vivid subjects culled from his own youthful experiences were fused with the power of his artistic imagination to create unforgettable images of the mythic American frontier. During the run of the Carter’s exhibition, the Sid Richardson Museum in Fort Worth also displayed a selection of Russell’s watercolors.

Charles M. Russell

When Sioux and Blackfeet Meet, 1903

Watercolor and opaque watercolor on paper

A watercolor painting of a group of Indigenous people dressed for battle on horseback fighting each other with rifles, bows and arrows, and tomahawks.

Charles M. Russell

Indian Family with Travois, 1897

Watercolor and graphite on paper

1961.141

A watercolor of two Native American women on horseback crossing a stream with their child, horses, and belongings.

Charles M. Russell

When Cows Were Wild, 1926

Watercolor on paper

A watercolor painting of two White cowboys on horseback roping a cow in a grassy ravine.

Charles M. Russell

Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia, 1905

Opaque and transparent watercolor over graphite underdrawing on paper

1961.195

A watercolor of American Indians and explorers in wood canoes meeting on a calm river.

Charles M. Russell

Last Chance or Bust, 1900

Watercolor on paper

A watercolor painting of a White man and woman standing at the head of a long line of covered wagons, one of which says on the side, "Last chance or bust."

Charles M. Russell

The Upper Missouri in 1840, 1902

Watercolor on paper

A watercolor painting of a herd of bison crossing a river and a coyote walking out of the water toward the viewer.

Download a glossary of related art terms.

Read a blog post from the Planetary Society by conservator Jodie Utter on her scientific research for Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell.

Installation Photos

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Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell is organized by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The exhibition and publication are generously supported by BNSF Railway, the Sid Richardson Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Rees-Jones, the Erwin E. Smith Foundation, the Lakeside Foundation, and the Peters Family Art Foundation.

BNSF Railway