"The Masterworks of Charles M. Russell: A Retrospective of Paintings and Sculptures," Edited by Joan Carpenter Troccoli and published by University of Oklahoma Press, Norman Oklahoma, 2009. From chapter titled, "Montana's Magnificent Russell," by Kirby Lambert. “When the Land Belonged to God is set on the Missouri River at daybreak, a few miles downstream from the town of Fort Benton. Having just crossed the river, a small group of bison—with streaming backs and dripping fur—stand momentarily paused on a rocky knoll, filling the center of the image and dominating the painting’s foreground. Behind them, a never-ending stream of buffalo trails downs the far hills and across the river. The rising sun strikes the faces of the lead buffalo and the distant bluffs, lending drama and brilliant color to the scene. Distinctive geographic landmarks—Frenchman’s Ridge, Square Butte, Round Butte, and the Highwood Mountains—can be seen clearly in the distance. As reminders of nature’s adversity, hungry wolves, a bison skeleton, and a fallen, beaver-scarred snag complete the picture’s central elements. A sage grouse is hidden in the foreground, adding a sense of Russell’s inescapable whimsy for those who study the painting carefully enough to discern the camouflaged bird. No matter how thoroughly the canvas is studied, however, the hand of man is nowhere to be seen.” Page 231 “Taken at face value, When the Land Belonged to God is a magnificently realized portrayal of one of the American West’s most celebrated icons. For Plains Indians, the vast bison herds that had once roamed the region had been integral to both physical survival and spiritual well-being. As non-Indians expanded into the Great Plains, the shaggy beasts were virtually annihilated at the same time that they were being adopted as romanticized emblems of the West. Thus, bison were frequently the subject of Russell’s artistic pursuits, even in his childhood, and they were one of his most favored subjects throughout his career. More important than the frequency with which Russell portrayed buffalo, however, was the skill with which he depicted them in oil, watercolor, ink, and clay.” Page 231-232 “In addition to being a preeminent portrayal of wildlife, When the Land Belonged to God is also a testament to Russell’s belief in the superiority of life in Montana before it was irrevocably altered by the farmers and boosters who closed the open range and brought modernity to life under the Big Sky.” Page 232 “As any good painter would do, Russell took liberties with the topography to make it fit his artistic vision. Not all agree on this point, but most Russell scholars believe that the vantage point depicted in When the Land Belonged to God is just downriver from Fort Benton, where Shonkin Creek flows into the Missouri. If this is correct, Russell moved Frenchman’s Ridge farther to the east (left) to reveal Square Butte and Round Butte; they are not actually visible from this point. A 1959 memorandum written by Fort Benton resident J. N. Blankenbaker recounting a visit he made to this spot with Russell in 1919 supports this location, as does a personal interview with Fort Benton historian John G. ‘Jack’ Lepley (Montana Historical Society Museum, file X1977.01.01). According to Lepley, there are spots farther downriver—for example, the mouth of Arrow Creek—where these features are visible from the bluffs along the river. While these locals are not accessible by automobile, Russell floated the Missouri in the fall of 1913 with Linderman and two other men, so the topography of the entire area would have been fresh in his mind.” Page 239-240