Thirsty 1898

Charles M. Russell's watercolor, "Thirsty" captures a scene that romanticizes the American West, focusing on themes of survival and the everyday lives of Native Americans. Russell created this painting during a time of shifting cultural perceptions about the West. Here, we see a group pausing at a stream. The woman's act of offering water to the child speaks to the crucial role of women as nurturers, and the dog drinking symbolizes reliance on the natural world for survival. Russell lived amongst the people he painted, but did not share their experience or face their hardships. He romanticized the “vanishing race” while not grappling with the United States government policy which caused their hardship. Ultimately, "Thirsty" allows us to think about the complex interplay between cultural representation, lived experience, and the stories we tell ourselves about history.