In 2018, the C.M. Russell Museum displayed a bold and relevant summer exhibition that brought to light the significant roles of women in the American West as captured in the art of Charles M. Russell. With 60 carefully selected works, the exhibition and accompanying full-color catalogue were landmark developments in Russell scholarship made possible by the Frederic G. and Ginger K. Renner Research Center located at the C.M. Russell Museum complex.
Charles M. Russell: The Women in His Life and Art deepened the understanding of Russell’s art in the context of the women who encouraged his creativity and helped shape his career. The women who surrounded Russell influenced his artistic vision as well as his ideas of the place of women within it. The exhibition and catalogue contain works in oil, watercolor, pen and ink, and bronze that span the length of Russell’s career from 1890 to 1926.