Stolen Horses, 1911. Charles M. Russell.
Oil on board, 7 3/4 x 13 1/2 inches. Charles M. Russell Museum, Gift of the Josephine Trigg Estate.
Before Charles M. Russell moved to the West, he listened to stories of Native Americans and their exploits. Dime novels and short stories were the perfect forms to ensure the imagination of a young boy in the Midwest. From basic transportation to highly orchestrated buffalo hunts and raids, horses played an essential role in Plains Indian culture. The raiding of horses allowed young men to hone their fighting skills, gather property, and enhance the lives of their tribes. Russell made several depictions of scenes like this. Stolen Horses (1911) was a gift to his close friend and neighbor, Josephine Trigg. A lone Native American man advances across the plains with a herd of horses behind him. The sunset and dust from the horses add to the scene's ambiance. As the title implies, Russell explores and romanticizes the stories he heard as a young boy of Native Americans and the horses they would steal.
