A watercolor by famed Western artist C.M. Russell has sold for $550,000 at an auction that benefits the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls.

The Great Falls Tribune reports the watercolor titled "High, Wide, and Handsome" sold at the low end of estimates at the auction on Saturday.

The auction in all raised more than $3.1 million, slightly more than last year.

A letter written by Russell that also contained a watercolor sold for $300,000.

An oil on canvas painted by Andy Thomas depicting Russell finishing a painting, and called "Russell Paints a Masterpiece," sold for $200,000. That exceeded the pre-auction estimate of $85,000.

C.M. Russell Museum board chairman Joe Masterson called the event a "smashing success."

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