A collection of 607 original paintings became the primary artifact of George Catlin's attempt to document indigenous life on the American frontier. Between 1830 and 1836, he journeyed extensively across the western territories, transitioning from a brief legal career into a lifelong commitment to preserving the customs and physical likenesses of diverse tribal cultures through portraiture.
Early Transitions and Legal Training
Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1796, Catlin grew up surrounded by narratives of the American frontier. Influenced by his mother, Polly Sutton, and local travelers, he initially pursued a conventional professional path. He attended Litchfield Law School at age seventeen and gained admission to the Bar in 1819. After two years of practice, he abandoned the legal profession to pursue art in Philadelphia, quickly establishing a reputation as a portraitist.
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In 1830, Catlin joined a diplomatic mission led by Governor William Clark, beginning a series of expeditions from his St. Louis base. Over the following six years, he traveled through areas including North Dakota and Oklahoma, eventually visiting fifty tribes. By ascending the Missouri River to Fort Union Trading Post, he documented indigenous populations in their relative isolation. This period resulted in the production of over 500 paintings and a vast collection of cultural artifacts.
The Indian Gallery and European Tour
Upon his return east in 1838, Catlin organized his materials into the Indian Gallery, utilizing a salon-style exhibition method in cities such as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and New York. Seeking to preserve the collection as a single entity, he unsuccessfully petitioned the U.S. government for purchase. Facing financial distress, he moved the gallery to Europe in 1839, touring capitals including London, Brussels, and Paris. Despite favorable critical reception, including praise from Charles Baudelaire, he was ultimately forced to sell his original paintings to Joseph Harrison in 1852 to settle mounting debts.
Late Career and Legacy
During his final two decades, Catlin focused on creating the so-called Cartoon Collection, a set of 400 recreations of his earlier works. He continued his travels through South and Central America and the American West, documenting these experiences in publications such as Last Rambles amongst the Indians of the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. In 1872, he accepted an invitation from Joseph Henry to work at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. He died in Jersey City later that year and was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1796, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- Died: 1872, Jersey City, New Jersey
- Educated: Litchfield Law School
- Primary Movement: Realism
- Key Publication: Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians (1841)
- Burial Site: Green-Wood Cemetery
- Significant Collection: Smithsonian American Art Museum
Questions readers ask
What happened to Catlin's original collection?
After Catlin was forced to sell the 607 paintings in 1852 due to debt, the collection was acquired by Joseph Harrison. In 1879, Harrison's widow donated the works to the Smithsonian.
Why is Catlin's work sometimes considered controversial?
Critics have questioned the accuracy of his claims, specifically his assertion that he was the first white man to visit the Minnesota pipestone quarries, a site previously noted by other explorers and traders.
Achievements
- Movement: realism
