Growing up in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, Charles M. Russell was a restless kid and an unimpressive student. He later said the only reason he learned to read was to devour novels about Buffalo Bill Cody, a colorful figure from the American Old West. Hoping that a good dose of hardworking reality in the untamed West would cure him of his romantic fantasies, Russell’s parents finally let him move to Montana at age 16—where rather than being cured, his passion grew. There he worked first as a sheepherder, followed by 11 years as a night-wrangler of horses (a job that gave him plenty of time to sketch during the day).

Beginning in 1893, Russell devoted more time to art and, after marrying three years later, became much more disciplined. His wife Nancy pried him away from his drinking buddies, encouraged him to paint, and ambitiously marketed his work. Russell was essentially selftaught, having participated in only a few sessions with professional illustrators. His skill and vision developed throughout his life as he looked at other artists’ work and, when visiting New York to promote sales, discussed technique with artists he met. If he was struggling with a painting, Russell would put down his palette and go outside to twirl his lasso.

Russell tried to keep himself separate from modernization as it crept into Montana, and he lamented the loss of the heroic Old West. His primary interest in art was the celebration of what he called “The West That Has Passed.” The scene in this painting is imaginary, inspired by a nostalgic vision set well before Russell’s time. To make the image look and feel real, Russell relied on his personal experience and observations from his early years in Montana. He also made annual trips to Native American reservations in Montana to brush up on his techniques and refresh his imagery.

Russell’s paintings often bear evidence of a story—hints about what might have happened before or what might follow. When this painting was first exhibited, it was described as a group of the Kootenai tribe crossing into another tribe’s territory to hunt buffalo. Because they have entered a hostile area, the Kootenai must travel carefully to avoid conflict. The men walk beside their horses and place buffalo hides, fur side up, on the horses’ backs. When viewed from a distance, the group looks like a small band of buffalo, which kept them from being bothered.