The artwork I choose is The Fireboat, 1918, by Charles M. Russell. It is an 18 x 12-inch oil on-board painting that can be found at the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. After the death of Frederick Remington in 1909, Charles Russell became the most famous artist specializing in paintings from the life of the inhabitants of the Wild West (Tyler 195). Unlike Frederick Remington, Charles Russell did not create apologetic paintings glorifying cowboys and the United States Army – the conquerors of the Wild West.
In his artworks, there is much more sympathy for the indigenous Indian population of America, which is demonstrated in the painting The Fireboat. In his painting, the artist accurately recreated the authentic clothing of Native Americans and their way of life. Masterfully using a brush, he created a work that impresses with its detail and reveals to the viewer the veil of the mystery of Indian life. The painting is extremely colorful and realistic, it clearly conveys the exotic appearance, clothing, and other essential attributes of Indian life.
The painting depicts three Native American men riding horses on top of a mountain. Two of the men are looking downwards, and the third is looking at one of the other men. At first glance, the artwork evokes a feeling of serenity and peacefulness. However, upon further inspection, the viewer may also begin to notice anxiety, curiosity, and fear coming emanating from both humans and their horses. Russell is able to convey both of these sensations through the color he uses, the composition, and the figures themselves.
The colors used in this painting are gentle and calming to the eyes. The shades of pink and blue used in the sky contrast with the dark color of the shadows, and the mountain range suggests it is dusk and the sun is setting. The way the rocks and the faces of the horses are highlighted helps to prove this statement since it seems that the men and horses are facing the sunset.
A feeling of peacefulness can also be found in the tree behind the horse, the farthest to the left. It is covered with flowers of different shades of pink in various stages of bloom. It can be seen how these flowers and branches cast a shadow on the rocks below. The tree breathes the harmony of lightness, youth and freshness. Landscape in the background is needed to balance the composition and make it livelier and more realistic. C. M. Russell depicted the Native American flesh-colored, hinting at them being shirtless, which helps to imply that it is a warm evening. All this, taken together, helps set the tone for a warm, calm late spring evening.
C. M. Russell is able to hint at the feeling of curiosity by using the composition in a variety of interesting and unique ways. At first, the viewer’s gaze automatically catches the Native American man on the white horse in the middle of the painting. After studying him, one then begins to recognize the other two men on their horses. Although human figures and horses are relatively the same sizes, the white horse is the only one standing with a straight neck and head looking forward. The rider of the white horse also sits completely erect on the horse, holding a large pole, and his left arm is stretched out.
After noticing the men, one starts to notice other details of the painting. The rocks appear smaller in comparison with the men at the top and become larger on the way down, suggesting that they are at the top of a large hill. Russell also has depicted a river down on the left side of the painting with a steamboat floating on it. The composition of the boat in relation to the men helps to set the scene in which they are all on top of a large hill looking down on a new and alien object.
Finally, the figures themselves, The Native American men, along with their horses and detailed hand gestures, are what ultimately convey the sense of anxiety, curiosity and fear. Regarding the man in the middle, one can notice that he has his left arm raised as if he is communicating and gesturing to convey something important. Two other men are looking down the hillside to the steamboat on the river. The horse on the right is looking down as well, almost hinting that even it knows that the object down below is different and it does not belong there. The Native American man in the far-left corner of the painting is propping his chin with his right hand as if he is reflecting on the changes taking place.
The characters have stiff straight hair, weak development of hair on the body and face, dark pigmentation of the eyes, and pronounced cheekbones. These physical signs allow the viewer to conclude that they belong to the Indian race. The riders, dressed in traditional clothes, who stopped at the top of the hill, are depicted as if blurred, but their figures and face still make it possible to guess both gender and age.
The indistinctness of the outlines of a person together with a clearly drawn background creates a feeling of rapid, impetuous movement. They point to the mobility of the characters in the picture, leaving no doubt that the riders are involved in a lively discussion, during which they actively gesticulate. All the heroes of the canvas are in motion. The canvas is full of vital energy, its characters actively interact with each other, making a spectacular, expressive, filled with natural harmony composition.
Like many other paintings by this painter, The Fireboat is made in a somewhat dark but rich and expressive color scheme. The subdued background tones favorably set off the figures in the foreground, lit as if from the side. The way C.M. Russell used color, composition, and figures throughout this painting, conveys a juxtaposition of serenity and peacefulness with worry, angst and fear. Russell was fascinated with the American Old West, and the majority of his work comprised of cowboys, Native Americans, and landscapes. The Fireboat is no exception and helps to shed light on a time that, while exciting for some, was worrisome for others.
Knowledge of the history of the United States helps the viewer to understand why the Native American men would be fearful and cautious of the foreign object. To them, the steamboat and the foreigners riding on it should not be there. This was their land first, and they were concerned about what it could mean for their territory and their way of life.
Work Cited
Tyler, Ron. “Framing First Contact: From Catlin to Russell.” Southwestern Historical Quarterly, vol. 125, no. 2, 2021, pp. 195-196.