Winston Publishing

arch 2018 marks the 50th Anniversary celebration of an annual auction like no other. Charlie Russell, the original cowboy artist and inspiration for the first Western Art museum in the world, is at the foundation of the The Russell Exhibition and Sale, March 15-17, in Great Falls, Montana. Three event-filled days promise to immerse collectors, patrons and artists in the Spirit of the West with significant contributions from the best talent, including Russell himself. One of the most exciting draws for Russell collectors and enthusiasts at this year's auction is the 1895 oil painting, Buffalo Hunt No. 7. The piece was completed the same year that romance blossomed between Charlie and Nancy, his future wife. Some attribute and compare the painting's focused attention and depth to his simultaneous matrimonial pursuit. Fans will also be engaged by the trademark depiction of "Russell's West" and the landscape the artist coveted. Buffalo Hunt No. 7 shows a clear resemblance to Arrow Creek near Stanford, Montana, an area Russell was intimately familiar with from his Judith Basin cowboy days. "Through Charlie Russell and the modern Western artists he continues to inspire, we are able to open doors to our heritage and to the lessons and beauty of our past," said Tom Figarelle, C.M. Russell Museum Executive Director. "We are honored that for 50 years, the auction has been able to share historically important pieces that connect us emotionally to a time when the West was wild and nurtured the American Spirit we cherish in ourselves today." 10 • portfolio the russell: the sale to benefit the cm russell museum The Russell Exhibition and Sale The Best of the West Awaits at The Russell's Celebrated 50th Western Art Auction Angie Windheim How the West is Won M Charles M. Russell, Buffalo Hunt No. 7, c. 1895, oil on canvas, 21 x 34 inches, $1,250,000-1,750,000 The Russell Live Auction 2017

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