Charles Marion Russell 1864 - 1926

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wrather
Sale: Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Idaho, July 25, 1998, lot 112
Acquired from the above sale by the present owners

This work is numbered CR.PC.452 in the online catalogue raisonné of the artist's work at www.russellraisonne.com.

The following condition report has been prepared by Julius Lowy Art Conservation: The artwork is a watercolor and gouache painting with pentimenti in pencil executed on paper which has been mounted to millboard with an aqueous based adhesive. The paper support is age appropriately oxidized but in stable condition. The watercolor, gouache, and pencil media layers, which have been applied directly to the paper, are also in good and stable condition. Ultraviolet examination reveals a normal fluorescence of artist pigments and materials with no evidence of prior restoration visible. Upon visual inspection, the artwork appears to be clean. The painting is signed and cyphered at the lower right in crimson: C.M. Russell. The artwork is in excellent condition overall.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Charles Marion Russell first traveled to the West in 1880 when his family sent him on a trip to Montana for his sixteenth birthday. In coming to and ultimately settling in this new territory, Russell selected a lifestyle that varied markedly from the privileged world into which he had been born in St. Louis. While his parents viewed the trip as an opportunity to motivate their son and his academic pursuits, Russell saw it as a chance to fulfill his dream of associating with the burgeoning frontier. His arrival coincided with the western cattle boom and after a two year apprenticeship Russell was working as a horse wrangler on the drives. According to Peter Hassrick, "The earliest Montana remembrances of Charlie were of a boy known as a 'Kid Russell,' who, along with being rough and ready, was known to carry art supplies in an old sock and who impressed associates and passersby with his abilities at painting and sculpture" (Charles Russell, 1989, p. 21). Russell decided in 1893 to leave the cowboy life behind and pursue a full-time career as an artist, eventually earning the reputation as "The Cowboy Artist."

While in Montana, Russell frequently confronted local Indians whose territories were receding as a result of the cattle business, railroads, and the increasing numbers of settlers. Russell, who was sympathetic to the fate of the native Indian, had developed a deep understanding of their way of life, which he sought to capture in his work. As noted by art historian Arthur Hoeber, "[Russell] paints the West that has passed from an intimate personal knowledge of it; for he was there in the midst of it all, and he has the tang of its spirit in his blood. He has recorded something of the earlier days in the life of that country, of its people, of their curious ways and occupations, a life that has practically passed" (Peter Hassrick, Charles M. Russell, 1989, p. 101). 

By the time Russell painted Watching the Iron Horse in 1902, he was reaching the peak of his technical skill. In this affectionate view of a time gone by, a group of five mounted Indians are perched atop an outcropping that affords them a clear vantage point over the plains below. In the distance is a train, likely on the Northern Pacific Railway, which draws the gaze of the Indians who contemplate the perplexing signs of encroachment that would profoundly impact their traditional way of life.