The Signal 

Charles M. Russell painted "The Signal" to capture a moment of intense visual communication on the American frontier. The raised arm of the Native American rider is not merely a gesture, but a powerful symbol deeply rooted in human history. Think of the Roman emperors, their arms raised to address the legions. Or the religious iconography of saints and prophets, hands extended in blessing or supplication. Russell’s rider participates in this same visual language, echoing a universal need to reach out, to connect, to warn. This gesture carries across time and cultures. The signal, a call to attention, stirs something primal within us. The vast landscape behind the rider evokes feelings of isolation and the need for human connection. This image taps into our collective memory of distant communication, of signals across vast distances, evoking a sense of shared history and cultural connection.