George Catlin (1796 – 1872) was an American painter, author, and traveller, who specialised in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West. Travelling to the American West five times during the 1830s, Catlin was the first white man to depict Plains Indians in their native territory.
Travelling with fur company representatives, cavalry officers, and later alone on multiple western journeys, George Catlin gathered drawings, sketches, and notes that would allow him to create an “Indian Gallery”- a collection of more than 500 paintings of American Indians. By the end of the decade, he would be widely recognised as the most celebrated painter of America’s native people.
“I have visited forty-eight different tribes, the greater part of which I found speaking different languages, and containing in all 400,000 souls. I have brought home safe, and in good order, 310 portraits in oil, all painted in their native dress, and in their own wigwams . . . as well as a very extensive and curious collection of their costumes, and all their other manufactures, from the size of a wigwam down to the size of a quill or a rattle.”
For more information about George Catlin see part 1. For earlier works see parts 1 - 4 also.
This is part 5 of a 7-part series on the works of George Catlin:
1841 Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians by George Catlin :
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| 1837-39 Hee-doh'ge-ats, a Young Man ( Chinook Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1837-39 Rainmaking among the Mandan oil on canvas 49.5 x 68.6 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1837-39 Sac and Fox Sailing in Canoes oil on canvas 49.6 x 70.1 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1837-39 Sioux Worshiping at the Red Boulders oil on canvas 49.7 x 70 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1837-39 Smoking the Shield ( Dakota - Sioux Tribe ) oil on canvas 47.5 x 66.6 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1837-39 Wi-jún-jon, Pigeon's Egg Head ( The Light ) Going To and Returning From Washington ( Assiniboine Tribe leader ) oil on canvas 73.6 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1838 Láh-shee, The Licker, called "Creek Billy" ( Seminole Tribe ) |
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| 1838 A Seminole Woman oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1838 A Seminole Woman |
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| 1838 Chee-a-ex-e-co, Daughter of Deer without a Heart ( Yuchi Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| Chee-a-ex-e-co A Yuchi Woman ( before 1907 ) |
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| 1838 Co-ee-há-jo, a Chief ( Seminole Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1838 Ee-mat-lá-, King Phillip, Second Chief ( Seminole Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1838 Os-ce-o-lá, The Black Drink, a Warrior of Great Distinction ( Seminole Tribe ) oil on canvas 78.4 x 65.6 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1839 Go-to-ków-páh-ah, Stands by Himself, a Distinguished Brave ( Wea Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1840 Osceola Nick-a-no-chee, a Boy oil on canvas 132 x 101.6 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1840-41 Theodore Burr Catlin, in Indian Costume oil on canvas 127.3 x 101.7 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1840-43 Hee-oh'-ks-te-kin, The Rabbit's Skin Leggings ( Nez Pearce tribe ) watercolour on card 13.9 x 12.7 cm Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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| 1840-43 Mah-to-tóh-pa, The Four Bears ( Mandan tribe ) watercolour on paper mounted on card 14.6 x 13.4 cm Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
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| 1841 Left Hand with His Wife and Son, 1841 watercolour 36.2 x 46.4 cm ( image ) Detroit Institute of Arts, MI |
1841 Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians by George Catlin :
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| 1843 Boy Chief ( Ojibbeway Tribe ) oil on canvas 71 x 58.3 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC |
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| 1844 Hon-ta-yi-ga, Little Wolf, a Famous Warrior oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1844 Neu-mon-ya, Walking Rain, War Chief ( Iowa Tribe ) oil on canvas 7.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1844 Ru-ton-ye-wee-ma, Strutting Pigeon, Wife of White Cloud ( Iowa Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1844 Wash-ka-mon-ya, Fast Dancer, a Warrior ( Iowa Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1844-45 See-non-ty-a, an Iowa Medicine Man oil on canvas 71 x 58 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC |
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| 1844-45 The White Cloud, Head Chief of the Iowas oil on canvas 71 x 58 cm National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC |
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| 1845 A-wun-ne-wa-be, Bird of Thunder ( Ojibwe Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |
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| 1845 Great Hero, a chief ( Ojibwa Tribe ) oil on canvas 73.7 x 60.9 cm Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC |