As much of Western art pays respect to Charles M. Russell, who died 100 years ago this month, the Denver Art Museum joins in with an exceptional new exhibition that unites Russell and one of his favorite subjects, the Blackfeet people.
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), The Fireboat, 1918, oil on board, 23 x 32 in. C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, Montana: Gift of Mrs. Wade George in memory of Wade Hampton George, S956-2-1.
Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell, now open at the Denver museum, presents 80 artworks, including oils, watercolors and bronzes by Russell, as well as objects related to the Blackfoot Confederacy (Nitsitapii), especially the Kainai (Blood Tribe) and Amskaapii Pikanni (Blackfeet or South Peigan), from the late-19th to mid-20th centuries. According to the museum, the “milestone presentation is made possible by a landmark gift of masterworks from the collection of Tom and Jane Petrie, which significantly expands the museum’s Western American art holdings.” The exhibition includes the Petrie gifts along with items from the Denver Art Museum’s permanent collection, as well as materials from major institutional and private lenders.
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Piegans, 1918, oil paint on canvas, 24 x 36 in. Planned Gift from Tom and Jane Petrie to the Denver Art Museum. Photo by Christina Jackson, courtesy Denver Art Museum.
JR Henneman, the director of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art at the Denver Art Museum, notes that Russell frequently painted Native American subjects in his paintings. “Primary themes in Russell’s work that relate to Blackfeet culture include buffalo hunting, counting coup, Plains Indian Sign Language and storytelling, among others,” she says. “Regarding the Blackfeet objects, they are Blackfeet culture past, present and future.”
Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), The Scout, 1915, oil paint on canvas, 21 x 26 in. Planned Gift from Tom and Jane Petrie to the Denver Art Museum. Photo by Jeff Wells, courtesy Denver Art Museum.
“We strive to be a space where history is actively revisited and understood through new lenses,” Henneman says. “Storytellers represents a vital moment for our Denver community to engage with the complex legacies of the American West. By placing ancestral Nitsitapii artworks in direct conversation with Russell’s iconic paintings, we move beyond the ‘myth’ of the West to celebrate the enduring presence and vibrant culture of the Blackfeet people today and the ongoing relevance of Russell’s art. It is an honor to facilitate this dialogue and share these stories with our neighbors. We are deeply grateful to Amskaapii Pikannii (Blackfeet Nation) advisors to this project who shared their time, knowledge, stories and humor with us. We thank Tom Petrie for continuing to expand his commitment to Western American art through this incredible gift.”
Amskaapii Pikanii artist, Aistookiimaaksi (Hand Drum), before 1860, leather, paint, wood and ink, 30¼ x 40¾ x 2 in. The L. D. and Ruth Bax Collection at the Denver Art Museum, 1985.245.
The exhibition will continue through January 24, 2027. —
Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell
Through January 24, 2027
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver, CO 80204
(720) 865-5000 www.denverartmuseum.org
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