The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-04-28
uUR COWBOY ARTIST.
some" acts About the Natural Born Ar
fist Who Lives Here.

som" i acts About the Natural Born Ar
fist Who Lives Here.
About six years ago a striking engrav-
ing made from a pen sketch appeared in
n of the great London illustrated pa
pers. which attracted widespread atten-
ton, and was pronounced by critics TO
be the production of the crude hand of
a new master in the world of art, and
who also predicted for it's author a
career of success and fame. The sketch
was entitled waiting for a Chinook,
the Last OF 1000" and was a realistic
and pathetic representation of a lone
Texas steer, reduced by starvation and
exposure to a sorrowful skeleton, while
through thick, falling snow cast wildly
about by the blizzard, the gaunt out
lines of a wolf could be dimly seen in
the gray distance.
1t was a graphic portrayal of the hor-
rors witnessed upon the great cattle
ranges during the arctic winter of 1867
and was the work Of c. M. Russell, an
uni structed cowboy, who rode the
northern Circuit and was unknown to
fame. just about the same time two or
three paintings were exhibited in some
of the store windows in Helena, which
gave startling evidences of a surprising
genius.
They were also the work Of Russell,
and were Characteristic and animated
scenes Of western life in which the COW
boy. the Indian, the hunter, and the
~frelghter, and the wondrous landscapes
of the mountains and plains were drawn
and colored with an artistic realism
which was a revelation and indicated a
high degree of creative power.
The coloring for an untaught hand
was marvellous, but the most remark
able feature of the studies was the on
quisite fidelity Of detail with which the
features and picturesque figures of the
Indian and those of his sometimes
scarcely less wild allies of Saxon blood,
were drawn.
The landscapes were Photographic re-
productions OF the snow-wreathed and
purple mountains, and the grand mo.
notony of the plains, and the skies while
sometimes boldly tinted, we're always
wondrous reflections for sunrise or sun
set dyes. and the soft twilight shades
and sombre shadows of night The ar
fist was sought out and an effort made
to persuade him to 90 to the art centers
OF Europe and receive instruction in
technique, but though money was freely
offered him for this purpose he would
not accept it, preferring to remain and
continue his work as he had begun it.
uDaided and untaght amid the familiar
surroundings of his life.
h.usscl! has at the present time an
atclier at Great Falls, where he pursues
his work in the independent fashion be
affects. lie has recently been producing
suuIe remarkable representations Of Mex
lean life. and they are classcd among his
best work.
lie has caught the spirit Of the semi
barbarous life Of the Spanish-American
race, and portrays it with his usual vigor
and truth. He still retains the habits
Of his cowboy days, and keeps two ponies,
which he rides with grace, ueXterity and
skill. lie is u~nassuming in manner and
dress. and extremely modest in demean-
or, depreclating any praise of his work.
Russell is said to be a native of Phila-
delphia and to have come from a wealthy
family. His tastes led him early to
adopt the wild life of the range and he
rode for many months with the herds,
winter and summer. The remarkable
genius he possesses was unsupported by
himself until accidentally developed.
The first effort Of his brush was in more
than n sense a masterpiece.
1t is fortunate that peculiar aboriginal
and other distinctive types of the wild
west which are fast disappearing should
have found a hand to so nobly preserve
them, and Russell, a young man still,
will immortalize himself. - Anaconda
Standard.