Charles Marion Russell

(American, 1864-1926)

The Medicine Man

bronze with dark brown patina

signed C M Russell with skull cipher (on base, behind figure); also inscribed Roman Bronze Works N.Y. (edge of base)

height (not including base): 7 in.

Provenance:

Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York, New York.

Acquired directly from the above.

Harry B. "Britt" Brown, Wichita, Kansas.

By descent in the family to the present owner.

Private Collection, Kansas.

Literature:

Rick Stewart, Charles M. Russell, Sculptor, Fort Worth, 1994, pp. 240-44, another example illustrated.

Lot Essay:

Charles Marion Russell's The Medicine Man depicts a Blackfoot shaman in the midst of a healing ritual. According to Nancy Russell, the artist's wife, the figure is Sleeping Thunder, a character Russell created on the basis of either firsthand or anecdotal evidence. In his seminal text on Russell's bronzes, Rick Stewart quotes Ms. Russell's description of the work at length: "He sites on his robe cross-legged, facing the lodge door where the sick person is to be healed... His rawhide tom-tom is decorated with eagle feathers and as he beats a rhythm, he chants his healing song. Across one knee are other symbols of his medicine–an otter skin, a wolf's skull, and a bear's claw. The otter is cunning, the wolf is smart and the bear is strong, and Sleeping Thunder is invoking the spirits of these three animal to help him drive away sickness or 'bad medicine'" (Charles M. Russell, Sculptor, pg. 241).

In overall very good condition. Light deposits of surface dust and debris, largely confined to crevices. Generally even patina, with areas of light wear/rubbing (i.e. knees, shins, chest/abdomen). Additional images available upon request.

Overall: 8 x 7 x 6 in.

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Adam Veil

VP, Head of Department, American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists

[email protected]267.414.1221

Adam Veil serves as Vice President and a Fine Art Specialist at Freeman’s.

Veil joined Freeman’s in 2021 following years of experience in both the auction world and the academy. His area of specialization is pre-WWII American Art, although he has lectured and published on topics ranging from Mexican landscape painting and Old Master printmaking to art market economics.

Veil earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in art history from Penn State University and pursued doctoral studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Prior to joining Freeman’s, Veil was Head of Fine Art at a Washington, D.C.-area auction house, and Executive Director of the Santa Fe Art Auction, where he oversaw market-setting auctions of classical and contemporary Western, Southwestern, and California art. He has also held positions in provenance research, art fair operations, and as editor and producer of The Conversation, a popular Los Angeles–based contemporary art podcast. Concurrent with his role at Freeman’s, Veil is a professor at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses in Renaissance, Modern, and American art history.

American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists

The Medicine Man

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