1990 Watercolor Still Life Painting Signed by James Spencer Russell

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A 1990 watercolor still life painting signed by American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). The painting depicts dried cattails in … Read more A 1990 watercolor still life painting signed by American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). The painting depicts dried cattails in a vase displayed upon a table next to the book How It Is by Samuel Beckett. A wall sculpture, created by Russell himself, is depicted hanging above the table. Presented behind white mat in a gold tone frame, the piece is signed “James Russell 1990” to the lower right.

Born in Monticello, Indiana, Russell was interested in art from a young age but was directed into pursuing a military career by his family. As a young person, he attended a military academy, became a celebrated codebreaker during WWII, and even received a scholarship to attend WestPoint. However, Russell's interest in art eventually led him to abandon his military pursuits and try to make it in the art world instead. After working as an NBC set designer after WWII, he turned his attention to becoming a full-time artist. During the 1960s, he started exhibiting his works alongside artists who would later come to characterize the art scene at the time, including Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein. He later moved back to Indiana where he continued to create art until his death in 2000. See less