"Carl Rungius (1869-1959) is considered the greatest big game artist in North America. In his striking paintings, majestic moose, elk, big horn sheep, bears, and mountain goats inhabit awesome landscapes seemingly untouched by humanity. Though his name may not be widely known today, Rungius's images of the landscapes and wildlife of the West have seeped into the public's consciousness to embody the notion of "wilderness".

Along with a wide-ranging tour through Rungius's paintings and preliminary sketches, Carl Rungius, Artist and Sportsman tells the story of Rungius's growth as an artist through a detailed chronology, photographs from the Rungius archives, and supporting material showing the various cultural influences on his work. Incisive essays by art historians Karen Wonders and Robert Stacey discuss the sometimes awkward connection between Rungius's passion for hunting and his role in the growing wilderness conservation movement in North America, and how both of these elements relate to his art." -excerpt from book jacket