In October 1926, Western artist Charles M. Russell died in Great Falls, Montana. A century after his passing, the Denver Art Museum is bringing together Russell and the Blackfeet people, who Russell frequently painted.
Possibly Percy (Two Gun) Plain Woman (Káínai Nation (Blood Tribe), War Robe, late 1880s to early 1900s, deer hide and commercial pigment, 58¼ x 48½ in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition funds, 1938.260.
Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell, now open at the Denver Art 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.
JR Henneman, the director of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art, 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.”
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.
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.
“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.”
The Denver exhibition will continue through January 24, 2027. —
Through January 24, 2027
Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell
Denver Art Museum 100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway, Denver, CO 80204 (720) 865-5000, www.denverartmuseum.org
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