The Last Laugh / Charles Marion Russell

Curatorial Remarks

This bronze, an ashtray, has no foundry mark. However, it compares favorably to other Russell bronzes in the Gilcrease Collection that were cast by B. Zoppo Foundry, such as Indian Family (0837.21, 0837.21). It was probably cast at that foundry. The burnt black layer is tightly adherent, which gives the surface a leathery appearance. The bronze is partly filled with wood and resin.

Information given by Ann Boulton Young, Associate Conservator for the Gilcrease Museum, 2018

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Art Item Information

©Gilcrease Museum

Title(s):

The Last Laugh; Coyote

Creator(s):

Charles Marion Russell (Subject)

Benjamin Zoppo Artistic Bronze Foundry (Foundry)

Culture:

American

Date:

modeled 1916; lost-wax cast between 1916 and 1921

Materials/Techniques:

lost-wax cast in bronze

Classification:

Sculpture

Object Type:

Bronze Sculpture

Accession No:

08.5

Previous Number(s):

0837.5; 24521

Department:

Art

Not On View

Dimensions

Overall:

Height: 4 3/8in. (11.1cm)
Width: 5 1/4in. (13.3cm)

About the Creator(s)

From Gilcrease Museum:

Creator:

Charles Marion Russell

Biography:

American

Role(s):

Subject

From Getty's Union List of Artist Names:

Names (all):

Russell, Charles Marion

Birth Date:

1864

Death Date:

1926

Nationalities:

American (North American)

Roles:

American painter, sculptor, and illustrator, 1864-1926

Gender:

male

Events:

active (professional function)

Note:

Comment on works: painter; sculptor

From Gilcrease Museum:

Creator:

Benjamin Zoppo Artistic Bronze Foundry

Biography:

Benjamin Zoppo came to the US from Italy and returned there in 1921.From the exhibition&#58Frontier to Foundry: the Making of Small Bronze Sculpture in the Gilcrease Collection, December 2014 - March 2015. Ann Boulton Young, Associate Conservator for the Gilcrease Museum, 2014.

Role(s):

Foundry

Marks and Inscriptions

Signed: Signed with colophon, "M. Russell [Trademark buffalo skull] 1916" (the "C" is missing from signature)

Tags and Search Terms

Tags:

Animal, Art, ashtray, bronzes, canine, Charles M. Russell artwork, comedy, coyote, dead, death, dog, human skull, looking down, sculpture, skull (skeleton component), standing, staring, wolf

Art by Charles M. Russell

Renowned as an iconic figure in early 20th-century American art for his portrayals of the American West, Charles M. Russell’s (1864-1926) masterworks and ephemera form a significant part of the Gilcrease collection. Examples of Charles M. Russell’s mature painting style are enriched by Gilcrease Museum’s equally important collection of the artist’s bronze sculptures, sketches, preparatory drawings, illustrated letters, and personal belongings. In addition to Russell’s acclaim as a painter and sculptor he is also considered a noteworthy humorist across different media.

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Cite this Page

Russell, Charles. The Last Laugh. 08.5. modeled 1916; lost-wax cast between 1916 and 1921. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum, https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/085 (03/26/2019).

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Gilcrease Museum

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