Overview
George Catlin was a self-taught American artist best known for his extensive travels in the 1830s to document Native American tribes and cultures through his art. His Indian Gallery is recognized as a major historical and artistic achievement and is now housed at the Smithsonian.
Early Life and Career
- Born in 1796 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and died in 1872 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
- Initially practiced law after passing the bar exam in 1818 but left law in 1821 to pursue painting.
- Gained modest success painting portraits and miniatures before seeking a more significant subject.
Artistic Ambitions and Travels
- Inspired by a delegation of western Indians in 1828, decided to dedicate his life to recording Native American life.
- Undertook his first major journey up the Missouri River in 1832, traveling over 1800 miles.
- Between 1830 and 1836, visited fifty tribes west of the Mississippi, from North Dakota to Oklahoma.
- Produced more than 500 portraits, scenes, and landscapes depicting Native American life.
The Indian Gallery and Legacy
- Catlin’s Indian Gallery was exhibited in major American cities and later in London, Paris, and Brussels.
- Lost most of his collection due to debt but recreated over 400 paintings and painted 200 more after.
- Believed the Indian Gallery should be preserved as a national treasure, a goal realized posthumously.
- The original Indian Gallery was donated to the Smithsonian in 1879 by Mrs. Joseph Harrison Jr.
- Several hundred of Catlin's works are now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Conservation and Restoration
- The Smithsonian employs conservators to maintain Catlin’s paintings using reversible techniques like cleaning and in-painting.
- Conservation philosophy emphasizes respecting the artist’s original intent and using methods that do not permanently alter the original artwork.
Exhibitions and Publications
- Catlin’s work has been featured in major exhibitions, including “George Catlin and His Indian Gallery” and “Picturing the American Buffalo.”
- Books explore his role in documenting the American West and his advocacy for wilderness conservation.
Selected Works
- Notable paintings include "Beautiful Grassy Bluffs, 110 Miles above St. Louis" (1832), "We-chsh-ta-do-ta, Red Man, a Distinguished Ball Player" (1835), "Jee-h-o-h-shah, Cannot Be Thrown Down, a Warrior" (1832), and "Ball-play of the Women, Prairie du Chien" (1835–1836).
- Over 625 of Catlin’s artworks are cataloged and many are on view at the Smithsonian.
Key Dates / Deadlines
- 1796: Catlin born in Pennsylvania.
- 1830–1836: Major journeys and creation of Indian Gallery.
- 1839: Indian Gallery shown in London.
- 1872: Catlin’s death.
- 1879: Indian Gallery donated to Smithsonian.