GREAT FALLS, Mont. – The Russell, the premiere fundraising event for the C.M. Russell Museum, attracts collectors, artists and patrons from around the country. The three-day schedule, March 17–19, of events and exhibitions culminates in The Russell Live Auction, which features significant works by historic artists such as Thomas Moran and Charles M. Russell, as well as the country’s most acclaimed contemporary western artists.

Thomas Moran’s beautiful Castle Rock, Green River, Wyoming (above), 1907, is a highlight of the 2016 Live Auction. Moran (1837-1926) was a British-born painter and printmaker who became one of the pre-eminent artists of the American West. In 1871, as a member of the Hayden Geological Survey, he recorded the glories of the area that Congress set aside in 1872 as Yellowstone National Park.

Although Moran resided for most of his life in the eastern United States, the West was his inspiration and his muse. Measuring 20 by 30 inches, Castle Rock, Green River, Wyoming (1907) is an exceptional example of Moran’s treatment of a subject he painted continually throughout his career. This spectacular piece of Western art has the potential to gavel at the highest value for a single work in the history of The Russell auction.

Recognized as one of the most prestigious Western art events in the country, The Russell provides critical funding through commissions and premiums that directly support the museum’s 
educational programs and cultural outreach.

Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com.