The Salute of the Robe Trade 1920

Charles M. Russell, sometime in his life, made "The Salute of the Robe Trade", I don't know when or with what, but I can see a whole lot of warm hues like oranges and browns swirling across the canvas. Russell, a proper cowboy artist, was all about texture and making you feel like you're right there in the middle of it all. See how he layers the paint, thick in some spots, thin in others? Look at the horses' manes, they're practically jumping off the canvas! And the dust! He really makes you feel like you are eating dust with every brushstroke. It's this kind of stuff that gets me going, that feeling of realness and being there that I strive for in my own work. I am reminded of Delacroix's interest in horses, but Russell makes it so raw. This painting isn't trying to hide anything; it's all about the grit and the glory. Plus, like most painting, it keeps shifting the more you look, and ambiguity is the best thing about art in the first place.