JUNE 2022 – MAY 2023
In 1920, Winold Reiss made his first trip to the Blackfeet Reservation of Browning, Montana, to fulfill his long-held goal to paint Indian portraits. Although reluctant to pose for him, Reiss made it clear to the Blackfeet that he wanted to help future generations remember the greatness of the Blackfeet Nation. Visit the C.M. Russell Museum this summer to see a selection of portraits of the Blackfeet Nation that Reiss produced in his lifetime.
Learn More about Winold Reiss
The C.M. Russell Museum holds one of the largest and finest collections of Winold Reiss (1886-1953) paintings. According to associate director Brenda Kornick, “We have thirty in the collection and twenty-six of them were donated by Peter and Christina Reiss in 1986. Tjark Reiss [Winold’s son] donated three and Dr. Fred Hasegawa donated one.” Reiss and Paul Raczka were two of the greatest champions of the Blackfeet. Twenty-five years ago their passions were married in an essay titled “Portraits of Change” that was printed in Russell’s West, a C.M. Russell Museum publication in the 1990s. The essay, and newly written introduction, provide background information on Winold Reiss as well as biographical information on select subjects depicted in Reiss’ paintings.