Western Gems
Drawings, watercolors and illustrated letters fill a Charles M. Russell show in Seattle
January 15-March 1, 2024
A.J. Kollar Fine Paintings By Appointment
Seattle, WA
(206) 323-2156 www.ajkollar.com
During a 35-year period, Seattle-based gallery A.J. Kollar Fine Paintings acquired works by Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) for a prominent client who was interested in Russell’s authentic depictions of the West.
After many years enjoying the works, the collector is now parting with the pieces, which will be featured in a show starting January 15.
“We started this collection more than 35 years ago, and as each piece came in it was amazing to see again and again how good of a draughtsperson Russell was,” gallery owner Allan Kollar says.“the collection is made up of pen-and-ink drawings, some with watercolor, and the detail he was able to capture is incredible. He was an insightful and perceptive artist.” Russell’s works, even simple drawings and illustrated letters, are collected at very high levels due to the artist’s place within the canon of Western art, where he’s paired alongside many of the greats, including Frederic Remington.a common refrain among Western collectors is “Russell and Remington,” which is shorthand for Western art’s foundational history.
“What made Russell great was he was so interested in history and he used that to record the myth of the West,” Kollar says.“you can see that in his works about the [Native American] people who lived in the territories Russell was familiar with. He used to get in trouble with some of the ranchers because he was showing that the land they were on was stolen. He just had a way of showing the West as it was.”
The collection consists of 17 works that include full watercolor pieces, pen-and-ink drawings (some with watercolor) and also illustrated letters, which Russell was fond of sending to friends and acquaintances. One of the more complete works is the 1900 watercolor Scouting Party, a 20-inch-wide work on paper that shows six Native American riders on horses. Russell focuses on the center of the picture where the main figure is shown with detailed accoutrements, including a war shield, a beaded bag around his torso and an elaborate fur hat with a feather.
In Mounted Police Patrol Captures American Whiskey Runners, Russell’s drawing ability is on full display as short pen marks create a story filled with tension and drama as a pair of mounted officers hold two smugglers in custody.