Back to the Fort, 2008
One of four paintings in John Bell’s “Marshall” series, Back to the Fort holds special relevance to the Fort Smith area. The perspective features a glimpse of the Old Fort across the river from the Oklahoma border. The central figure on horseback is U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, the first black deputy west of the Mississippi River. His illustrious career featured many arrests of dangerous criminals, which John Bell has recreated in his iconic scene.