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Russell Chatham was a self-taught American landscape painter and author, whose work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He was born in 1939 and spent much of his life in Livingston, Montana, developing a love for the landscape of his surroundings, which inspired his paintings. In 1990, he began a commission of twelve large-size paintings for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, each an ode to the Montana seasons. Chatham's paintings often focused on the changing seasons, light, and the silent, spiritual aspects of landscapes, with a particular interest in rivers and natural vistas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Russell Chatham's paintings displayed in museums | Yes |
| Museums where his work has been exhibited | Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, American Museum of Natural History |
| Number of solo exhibitions | Several hundred |
| Number of public and private collections worldwide featuring his work | At least 3,000 |
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Russell Chatham's paintings are exhibited in museums and galleries
Russell Chatham (1939-2019) was a contemporary American landscape artist and author. He spent most of his career living in Livingston, Montana. Chatham was a self-taught artist, inspired by his grandfather, the early 20th-century painter Gottardo Piazzoni.
Chatham's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide over the last five decades, including solo exhibitions in major museums in the West and colleges and universities. His paintings have adorned the covers of his friend Jim Harrison's books, and his work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Chatham's paintings focus on the landscapes of his surroundings, including scenes of the Missouri River headwaters and Yellowstone National Park. He was particularly interested in capturing the fleeting light and atmosphere of the natural world, as well as the changing seasons. In 1990, he began a commission of twelve large-size paintings that were odes to the Montana seasons for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. The main image, titled 'The Seasons: The Headwaters of the Missouri River in April', is a fourteen-by-ten-foot masterpiece based on extensive trips to study the river from various vantage points.
Chatham's work is considered unique and challenging. He preferred printing lithographs, which often had 30 to 40 different layers of colour, all hand-drawn on the printing plate. His original oil paintings also sell for tens of thousands of dollars, with a multi-year waiting list for commissions.
Chatham's art was an integral part of his life, and he left a lasting legacy with his distinctive style and contribution to the world of landscape art.
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His work has been displayed in over 400 solo exhibitions
Russell Chatham (1939-2019) was a prolific painter, lithographer, and writer of the American West. His work has been exhibited in over 400 solo exhibitions, with his paintings and prints displayed in numerous museums and galleries over the last five decades.
Chatham's paintings often focused on the landscapes of his surroundings, including scenes of the Missouri River headwaters and Yellowstone National Park. He was particularly inspired by the works of 19th-century landscape painters such as Albert Bierstadt and George Inness, and his grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni, one of the foremost California painters of the early 20th century.
Chatham's work is known for its luminous quality, capturing the fleeting light and atmosphere of the natural world. He worked in oil and watercolour, and his paintings have sold for tens of thousands of dollars, with a multi-year waiting list for commissions. Despite this commercial success, Chatham preferred printing lithographs, which he found to be a more challenging art form. His lithographs often featured 30 to 40 different layers of colour, all hand-drawn onto the printing plate, resulting in vivid and unusual colour combinations.
Chatham's work has been exhibited in major museums in the West, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His pieces have also been displayed in colleges and universities and are included in at least three thousand public and private collections worldwide. Notable collectors of his work include art critic Robert Hughes, Paul Allen, and actor Jack Nicholson.
In addition to his visual art, Chatham was also a writer. He authored several books, including a series of short stories titled "Dark Waters", which detailed his adventures in hunting and fly-fishing, as well as various articles on topics such as food, wine, and conservation.
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Chatham's paintings have appeared in major museums in the West
Russell Chatham's paintings have appeared in major museums in the West. In 1990, he began a commission of twelve large-size paintings that served as tributes to the Montana seasons for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. The main image, titled 'The Seasons: The Headwaters of the Missouri River in April', measured fourteen by ten feet and was based on extensive trips to study the river from various vantage points.
Chatham's work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His paintings have also been displayed at most of the major museums in the West and various colleges and universities. Additionally, his paintings are included in at least three thousand public and private collections worldwide.
Chatham's paintings focus on the landscapes of his surroundings, including scenes of the Missouri River headwaters and Yellowstone National Park. He was particularly inspired by the works of 19th-century landscape painters such as Albert Bierstadt and George Inness, and his own grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni, a renowned early 20th-century California painter.
Chatham's work often captures the fleeting light and atmosphere of the natural world, presenting landscapes that stand in an intimate relationship with the human figure, even in its absence. While he primarily worked in oil and watercolour, he also produced lithographs, becoming one of the world's foremost practitioners of this craft.
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He was commissioned by the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman
Russell Chatham's paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries over the last five decades. His work has been featured in over 400 solo exhibitions and can be found in at least 3,000 public and private collections worldwide.
In 1990, Russell Chatham was commissioned by the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana, to create twelve large-size paintings celebrating the Montana seasons. The main image of the collection is titled "The Seasons: The Headwaters of the Missouri River in April." This painting is an ode to the Missouri River, measuring fourteen by ten feet. It was inspired by extensive trips to study the river from various vantage points.
Chatham's artistic process for this commission involved immersing himself in the natural landscape. He spent time in Carmel Valley, California, where he developed a deep appreciation for the scenery. His grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni, a renowned early 20th-century California painter, also influenced his work. Chatham inherited and utilized his grandfather's painting tools, easel, and sketch box.
As an artist, Russell Chatham was mostly self-taught. He intentionally distanced himself from the contemporary art world, focusing on creating landscapes that intimately relate to the human figure, even in their absence. Chatham's work showcases his fascination with changing seasons, shifting light, and the spiritual aspects of nature. His paintings often capture the fleeting light and atmosphere of the natural world, as seen in his luminous landscape paintings.
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His paintings sell for tens of thousands of dollars
Russell Chatham's paintings are displayed in several museums. In 1990, he began a commission of twelve large-size paintings that are odes to the Montana seasons for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. The main image is titled "The Seasons: The Headwaters of the Missouri River in April" and is fourteen by ten feet. It was based on extensive trips to study the river from various vantage points.
Chatham's work has also been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His paintings focus on the landscape of his surroundings, including scenes of the Missouri River headwaters and Yellowstone National Park.
Chatham's oil paintings currently sell for tens of thousands of dollars, and there is a multi-year waiting list for commissions. However, he preferred printing lithographs as he found them to be a more challenging art form. Despite being a print, Chatham's lithographs are created through a unique process that involves hand-drawing 30 to 40 different layers of color onto the printing plate, resulting in vivid and unusual colors that come together to form subtle shadings and quiet tones in the final piece.
Chatham's work is highly sought-after, with art scribe Robert Hughes, Paul Allen, and actor Jack Nicholson among his collectors. His paintings capture the fleeting light and atmosphere of the natural world, and his talent has gained him recognition as one of the world's foremost lithographers.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Russell Chatham's paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries over the last five decades. His work has been displayed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In 1990, he began a commission of twelve large-size paintings for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.
Russell Chatham is a self-taught contemporary American landscape artist. He is also considered one of the world's foremost lithographers. His work eschews the narrative tendency of much Western art and presents landscapes that stand in an intimate relationship with the human figure, even in its absence. He is inspired by the works of 19th-century landscape painters such as Albert Bierstadt and George Inness.
Russell Chatham's paintings focus on the landscapes of his surroundings, including scenes of the Missouri River headwaters and Yellowstone National Park. His notable works include "The Seasons: The Headwaters of the Missouri River in April," which was commissioned by the Museum of the Rockies, and "River at Twilight," which sold at auction for $83,875.
