Charles Marion Russell grew up in Missouri, but when he was a teenager he headed west to Montana to become a cowboy. After a few years in the 1880s working (or not working) as a cowboy, Russell turned his attention to illustrating and painting scenes of the west with realistic detail. Unlike his contemporary Frederic Remington, Russell stayed out west and settled in Montana. After Remington's death in 1909, Russell's career took off and he became one of the most popular artists in the United States. He completed more than 4,000 paintings, and his bronze statues set the standard for western artists.