Works of Art

Russell was fascinated with stagecoach history and depicted the six-horse hitch and classic Concord coach many times in his art. In a letter written to an old cowboy friend in 1920 he praised the drivers who directed “six range-bred horses with both hands full of ribbons,” adding that “to drive these over a mountain road takes both hands, feet, and head and it’s no lady’s job.” This example is unusually small, suggesting that it might have been used as a placecard for a table setting. Nancy Russell often utilized her husband’s work in this manner, orchestrating themes for formal evenings at the Russell home.