Smoke of a .45 by Charles Marion Russell. A high-stakes gunfight erupts outside a frontier saloon as cowboys on galloping horses trade fire in a cloud of dust and gunsmoke.

Smoke of a .45

Charles Marion Russell

1908 · Oil Paint, Canvas

An iconic scene of Wild West drama, this dynamic painting captures the raw energy and narrative tension of the American frontier.

$129

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Where it works

A bold work with active energy with warm, lived-in color — holds its place without needing much around it.

Often works in
Living Room · Office · Study
Placement
Reads best above substantial furniture or an open wall
Walls
Reads strongest when the wall gives it contrast
Color notes
Dusty pink, Terracotta clay, Soft white

About the piece

Painted in 1908 by Charles Marion Russell, the legendary 'Cowboy Artist,' this work is a definitive example of Western genre painting. The composition pulls the viewer into a chaotic shootout outside 'The Palace' saloon, where horses bolt and figures scramble amidst puffs of .45 caliber smoke. Russell's intimate knowledge of frontier life is evident in the precise rendering of tack, clothing, and the high-noon atmosphere of a rugged Montana town.

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