The Snake Priest
Charles M. Russell (1864–1926) left St. Louis as a teenager to work on a Montana ranch. Western landscapes, cowboy culture, and Indigenous peoples inspired his art, such as this small sculpture depicting a Snake Ceremony, a religious ritual performed by the Hopi Tribe of Arizona. Today, Snake Dance ceremonies are closed to non-Native individuals. The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office states, “Although the Hopi believe the ceremonies are intended for the benefit of all people, they also believe benefits only result when ceremonies are properly performed and protected.”
Object Title and Accession Number
The Snake Priest. Bronze cast sculpture by Charles M. Russell, 1914. 2022-097-0001.
A bronze sculpture of a crouching figure reaching out with a long stick toward a small snake on an oval base, capturing a moment of interaction.
Back view of a bronze sculpture of a crouching figure with shoulder-length hair, reaching toward a small snake with a long stick. The figure's back is turned, displaying defined musculature. The base is oval-shaped.
Close-up of the base of the broze sculpture focused on a figure's hand reaching toward a small snake with a long stick.
Close up of the bronze sculpture focused on the crouching figure with elongated limbs, set against a plain white background. The figure's expression is focused, with one arm extended forward.