Her Heart Is on the Ground 1917

Charles M. Russell made this painting with visible brushstrokes to evoke the vastness of the landscape and the vulnerability of human existence. I can imagine him, brush in hand, trying to evoke a scene of despair with the colours and textures of the paint itself. See how he uses the thin washes of blues and purples in the sky to create a sense of infinite space? I picture Russell wrestling with the composition, trying to convey the weight of sorrow through the posture of the figures and the starkness of the setting. The subdued palette, punctuated by earthy tones and hints of ochre, feels like a heartfelt emotional cry. The tension between the panoramic view and the intimate scene speaks volumes, don’t you think? As painters, we are often in conversation with artists across time, riffing on each other’s ideas and approaches. Here, Russell embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings to emerge.