Carl Rungius

Rungius' reputation as a premier wildlife artist was enhanced considerably by an expedition to the Yukon Territory in 1904. The artwork and social connections that resulted from that trip launched Rungius into the center of America's conservation movement, promoted by such famous American sportsmen as President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1910 he accepted an offer to visit the Canadian Rockies. The opportunities to hunt, explore, and paint the region were so appealing that in 1921 he built a summer studio called "The Paintbox" in Banff, where he worked from April to October of each year until his death in 1959.

Rungius' ability to capture the heart-stopping chance encounter between man and animal sets him apart from many of his talented colleagues. Equally accomplished as a painter of wildlife and landscapes, Rungius quickly developed an enthusiastic following among fellow artists and patrons. The National Museum of Wildlife Art maintains the largest public collection of Rungius' work in the United States.