Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell

A watercolor painting of a group of Indigenous people dressed for battle on horseback fighting each other with rifles, bows and arrows, and tomahawks.
February 11–May 13, 2012
Second floor

This special exhibition of some of the finest watercolors by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) displays depictions of the Old West never before brought together. In addition to the watercolors, the exhibition also includes a special conservation section devoted to the technical aspect of his work. Actual studio materials such as his paints, brushes, and his last watercolor palette are on display.

Russell’s advice to a fellow artist to “cinch your saddle on romance” defined his work, where vivid subjects culled from his own youthful experiences were fused with the power of his artistic imagination to create unforgettable images of the mythic American frontier. During the run of the Carter’s exhibition, the Sid Richardson Museum in Fort Worth also displayed a selection of Russell’s watercolors.

Download a glossary of related art terms.

Read a blog post from the Planetary Society by conservator Jodie Utter on her scientific research for Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell.

Installation Photos

Click a button below to open in gallery. Activating any of the below buttons shows the installation photos gallery

Romance Maker: The Watercolors of Charles M. Russell is organized by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. The exhibition and publication are generously supported by BNSF Railway, the Sid Richardson Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Rees-Jones, the Erwin E. Smith Foundation, the Lakeside Foundation, and the Peters Family Art Foundation.