The Surround 1911

Charles Russell made this scene of the west, a swirling mass of figures rendered with dynamic strokes and earthy tones. The way the painting is built up feels immediate, like it’s been coaxed into being through constant adjustment and intuitive gesture. I imagine Russell, in his studio, wrestling with this composition. The challenge of capturing movement, the feeling of a hunt, the dust and the chaos. You can see this in the material handling: how he’s let the paint be itself, creating texture that animates the scene. Look at the horses' legs blurred into streaks, or the bison’s heavy forms suggested with loose, expressive marks. There's a great dynamism that reminds me of Delacroix. It’s like Russell is in conversation with painting's history, taking on the challenge of how to represent the real world. It reflects not just what he saw but what he felt. He translates an experience into something we can all share.