Painting of the Day, November 4, 2011

By Donna Poulton

The Lost Art of Letter Writing:

Charles Russell was a natural born storyteller. He painted vignettes on many of the humorous letters (always signed with a buffalo skull) he sent to friends and family over the years. Usually the images depicted an anecdote he was highlighting in his letters. His illustrated letters are coveted by collectors and in some cases cost more than his paintings. In this letter to Guy Weadick, Russell is illustrating the scenic area around Guy’s Alberta, Canada ranch and the tourists who came to visit.

Credit: Amon Carter Museum

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Illustrated letter to Russell’s friend Guy Weadick, November 23, 1921, Watercolor, ink, opaque watercolor, and graphite on paper. Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas (1961.300)

Credit: antiquesand the arts.com

The envelope is addressed to “Young Boy,” a Cree Indian who worked for Russell and lived in Havre, Montana.