The Slick Ear 1914

Charles M. Russell made "The Slick Ear" with what looks like oil paint, turning a Western scene into something wild and painterly. Look at how the colors move - the browns and whites of the cattle blend into the landscape, almost disappearing into it. There's a real sense of movement, a blur of action as the cowboys drive the herd down the ravine. I'm drawn to the way Russell handles the light, especially on the cliff face. It's thick and almost crusty, catching the light in a way that feels really tactile. It reminds me of some of Courbet's landscapes, where the paint itself becomes a kind of event. Russell was deeply immersed in the world he depicted. He lived it. You see that understanding in every brushstroke here. It's about the wildness of the West but also about the wildness of paint itself.