Battle of Belly River 1905

Editor: This is Charles M. Russell's "Battle of Belly River," painted in 1905 using oil paints. It’s quite chaotic, almost overwhelming, but the longer I look, the more I can distinguish the figures and understand their arrangement in the composition. What do you see in this piece, especially from a formalist point of view? Curator: Immediately, one notes the artist's command of pictorial space, organized not as a receding vista, but more like a rising, tilted plane of action. Consider how the earth-toned palette—dominated by browns and tans—unifies the multitude of figures and horses. The layering of the scene contributes to this affect. Are there some sections that especially grab your eye? Editor: The cluster of figures and horses in the foreground feels particularly dynamic. There’s a real sense of movement and violence conveyed through the brushstrokes and the composition of the bodies. How would a formalist approach dissect that dynamic? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the artist employs diagonal lines throughout the foreground – from the lances to the bodies of the combatants – which establishes a clear spatial relationship between figures, all participating within that field of violent exchange. Then, observe the texture achieved through impasto, specifically in the highlighted areas; the physical substance of the paint contributes a tangible element to the depicted action, and enhances our appreciation of the drama. Editor: So it's not just *what* is painted, but *how* it's painted, that conveys so much meaning and tension? Curator: Precisely. The texture, the brushstrokes, and color all become fundamental carriers of meaning. They speak to the turmoil, rendering the history of the painting inseparable from the history that is being shown. Editor: That’s fascinating. I see it now – how the very application of the paint echoes the violence and movement within the scene itself. Thanks! Curator: A very astute observation, which showcases how attentiveness to the materiality of art informs its understanding, and indeed, ours.