Leary, Stuart and Co.
George Catlin (1796-1872)
Catlin was a native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Although he studied law, he was a lawyer for only a short time before following his true interest- art. At first he did miniatures and portraits (including one of the governor of New York). His subject matter soon became the Tribes of the American Plains. He may have first developed his interest in Indians from his mother, who had once been a captive of the Indians. Observing a delegation of Indians passing through Philadelphia in the 1820s, he chose to record their way of life to preserve their heritage. In 1830, he moved to St. Louis to meet with the Superintendent of Indian Affairs – William Clark. Catlin accompanied Clark on his treaty meetings with the tribes. Catlin also traveled with the American Fur Company and their traders along the upper and lower Missouri. He made a number of trips to paint the Indian tribes from 1830-1836.
He opened an Indian Gallery of his painting in 1837 in New York, which contained over 500 paintings. He later moved his paintings to other major cities for viewing and in 1840, he moved his paintings to England and later Paris. In 1841, he published a book in two volumes about his journey with the Indians of North America. In it, Catlin included information about the manners and customs of the Native Americans, and included the sketches he made during his journeys.
Although he is noted as a portrait artist, he also did many scenes of the Native Americans way of life, including buffalo hunts, religious rituals, lacrosse games, medicine ceremonies, and everyday life. Catlin painted the Indians in their own environment. He traveled with Indian agents to visit over fifty tribes, including the Sioux, the Mandans, the Blackfeet, the Assinboines, the Sacs and Foxes, the Winnebagos, Comanches, Chippewa (Ojibway), Osage, Cherokee, and Choctaw between 1830 and 1836.
Although he tried for years to have the federal government in Washington, D.C. buy his collection, this never happened. However, in 1852, Joseph Harrison, a wealthy Philadelphian industrialist, bought the collection. After Harrison’s death, his widow donated the collection to the Smithsonian in 1879.
See also Leary, Stuart and Co.
North American Indians
- North American Indians.
- Volumes 1 and 2. George Catlin. Publisher- Leary, Stuart and Co. 1913
Assiniboine Tribe
Wi-Jun-Jon (Pigeon's Egg Head)
Assineboin- (L) Young woman with child. (R) Children
Assineboin Chiefs and their wifes
Assineboins Pipe dance
Blackfeet Tribe
Black Mocassin
Blackfoot Chief
Eagle Ribs (Blackfoot)
Medicine Man
Buffalo
White Buffalo
Blackfoot. (L) Woman Who Strikes Man. (R) Iron Horse
Blackfoot. (R) Crystal Stone. (L) Six year old boy
Choctaw Tribe
Choctaw Ballplayer
Choctaw Ball Game 1
Choctaw Ball Game
Choctaw- Eagle Dance by young men
Comanche Tribe
Comanchee War Party
Hiding From Enemy Weapons
Comanchee Children
Crow Tribe
Crow Robe
Crow Robe
Detail On Robe
Crow On Leaping Horse
Crow lodge
Kiowa Tribe
Two Kiowas
Konza Tribe
Konzas Indians
Mandan Tribe
Four Bears - Mandan Chief
Detail From Four Bears Robe (Mandan)
Detail From Four Bears Robe (Mandan)
Mandan Robe
Last Race
Four Bears' Robe
Mandan Bull Dance
Mandan chief Ha-Na-Tah-Nu-Mauh
Mandan- Calling to Great Spirit in Medicine Lodge
Mandan- Earth covered lodges and Circle of Skulls (graveyard)
Mandan- Game of the arrow
Mandan- Medicine Man Old Bear
Mandan- Resting after a raid
Mandan- The cutting scene (self-torture)
Mandan- The Last Race
Sham fight of Mandan boys
Menomonie Tribe
Menomonies
Owl (On Left), Two Menominee Youths
Missouri Tribe
He Who Kills The Osages
Omaha Tribe
Two Omahas
Osage Tribe
Black Dog (Osage)
Osage Warriors
Tal-Lee
Otoe Tribe
Two Ottoes
Pawnee Tribe
Pawnee Robe
Wolf Pawnees
Sac & Fox Tribe
Little Stabbing Chief
Kee-O-Kuk On Horseback
Slave Dance
Sac Warriors Dancing
Sacs & Foxes- Begging Dance
Sacs & Foxes- Canoing
Sacs & Foxes- Dance to the Beradashe
Sacs & Foxes- Discovery Dance
Seminole Tribe
Seminole Chief
Seminole Woman
Osceola
Sioux Tribe
Black Rock
Sioux Cradle
Scalp Dance
Three Sioux
Sioux Ball Players. (L)He Who Stands on Both Sides. (R)Red Man
Winnebago Tribe
Two Winnebagos
Miscellaneous
Catlin North American Indians
Feast And Viewing The Sun
Scalps Prepared And Used
Bow, Arrows, Spears
Peace Pipes
War Clubs, Knives, Tomahawks
Symbolic Writings And Totems
Deceiving Wolf & Family
Sneaking Up On Buffalo
Snowshoe Dance
The Cutting Scene
Chippeway-Scoop net fishing and cano race
Minataree Buffalo Hunt
Ojibbeway- Sha-Co-Pay and his wife
Top-Moving camp. Bottom - Drying buffalo meat
North American Indians
- North American Indians.
- Volumes 1 and 2. George Catlin. Publisher- Leary, Stuart and Co. 1913
Assiniboine Tribe
Wi-Jun-Jon (Pigeon's Egg Head)Assineboin- (L) Young woman with child. (R) ChildrenAssineboin Chiefs and their wifesAssineboins Pipe danceBlackfeet Tribe
Black MocassinBlackfoot ChiefEagle Ribs (Blackfoot)Medicine ManBuffaloWhite BuffaloBlackfoot. (L) Woman Who Strikes Man. (R) Iron HorseBlackfoot. (R) Crystal Stone. (L) Six year old boyChoctaw Tribe
Choctaw BallplayerChoctaw Ball Game 1Choctaw Ball GameChoctaw- Eagle Dance by young menComanche Tribe
Comanchee War PartyHiding From Enemy WeaponsComanchee ChildrenCrow Tribe
Crow RobeCrow RobeDetail On RobeCrow On Leaping HorseCrow lodgeKiowa Tribe
Two KiowasKonza Tribe
Konzas IndiansMandan Tribe
Four Bears - Mandan ChiefDetail From Four Bears Robe (Mandan)Detail From Four Bears Robe (Mandan)Mandan RobeLast RaceFour Bears' RobeMandan Bull DanceMandan chief Ha-Na-Tah-Nu-MauhMandan- Calling to Great Spirit in Medicine LodgeMandan- Earth covered lodges and Circle of Skulls (graveyard)Mandan- Game of the arrowMandan- Medicine Man Old BearMandan- Resting after a raidMandan- The cutting scene (self-torture)Mandan- The Last RaceSham fight of Mandan boysMenomonie Tribe
MenomoniesOwl (On Left), Two Menominee YouthsMissouri Tribe
He Who Kills The OsagesOmaha Tribe
Two OmahasOsage Tribe
Black Dog (Osage)Osage WarriorsTal-LeeOtoe Tribe
Two OttoesPawnee Tribe
Pawnee RobeWolf PawneesSac & Fox Tribe
Little Stabbing ChiefKee-O-Kuk On HorsebackSlave DanceSac Warriors DancingSacs & Foxes- Begging DanceSacs & Foxes- CanoingSacs & Foxes- Dance to the BeradasheSacs & Foxes- Discovery DanceSeminole Tribe
Seminole ChiefSeminole WomanOsceolaSioux Tribe
Black RockSioux CradleScalp DanceThree SiouxSioux Ball Players. (L)He Who Stands on Both Sides. (R)Red ManWinnebago Tribe
Two WinnebagosMiscellaneous
Catlin North American IndiansFeast And Viewing The SunScalps Prepared And UsedBow, Arrows, SpearsPeace PipesWar Clubs, Knives, TomahawksSymbolic Writings And TotemsDeceiving Wolf & FamilySneaking Up On BuffaloSnowshoe DanceThe Cutting SceneChippeway-Scoop net fishing and cano raceMinataree Buffalo HuntOjibbeway- Sha-Co-Pay and his wifeTop-Moving camp. Bottom - Drying buffalo meat