When Sioux and Blackfeet Meet 1903

Charles M. Russell made this watercolour painting, "When Sioux and Blackfeet Meet," using thin washes of paint, the kind that seem to blend and bleed together, echoing the way stories get told and retold. Look at how Russell captures the movement of the horses; it's all about gesture, like he's sketching with the brush. The colours are earthy – browns and tans – but then you get these pops of red on the figures, drawing your eye right into the thick of the action. It feels less like a historical record and more like a memory or a legend taking shape. It’s as if the battle is unfolding before us in a dream. Russell reminds me a bit of Delacroix, that interest in capturing the raw energy of a scene, but filtered through his own particular lens, celebrating the wild west. It's a reminder that art isn't about nailing down a single truth, but about opening up possibilities.