Mexican Buffalo Hunters 1924

Charles M. Russell made *Mexican Buffalo Hunters* with watercolor, and it feels like he’s catching a fleeting moment. The washes of color bleed into each other, making the whole scene soft, almost dreamlike. I love how Russell handles the foreground. The brushstrokes are loose and quick, giving the plants texture and life. See how the light hits the back of the lead rider’s horse? It’s like Russell is using the watercolor to capture the desert light itself. You can almost feel the heat radiating off the page. The way he layers the colors makes the landscape feel vast and open. It reminds me of the paintings of John Singer Sargent, how he could evoke a sense of place with just a few strokes of paint. Ultimately, this piece isn't about perfect representation, it's about capturing the feeling of the West. And that’s something Russell does so well.