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George Catlin on Indigenous Land BY KATHLEEN L. HOWARD, PH.D.
Like many Western artists who followed him, George Catlin traveled the West to make a record of the region’s American Indian tribes. Convinced of certain extinction of the American Indian, his goal was to preserve for future generations a pictorial history of a people he believed to be a vanishing race. George Catlin was born in the Wyoming Valley near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on July 26, 1796. As he matured, he was surrounded by explorers, trappers and hunters as they embarked on and returned from their exploits and adventures in the West. Putnam and Polly Catlin, George’s parents, were most hospitable and curious to hear the reports of travelers who visited the Catlin home. When George was 21 years old, he studied law in Litchfield, Connecticut. Two years later he returned to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and established a law practice. Evidently, he found the practice of law to be too confining, and soon he resolved to pursue painting as his career. In 1823, Catlin went to Philadelphia and began painting miniature portraits. Although he lacked formal training as an artist, he enjoyed and benefited from associations with such distinguished artists as Charles Willson Peale, Rembrandt Peale, Thomas Sully and John Neagle. On Feb. 18, 1824, he was admitted to the Philadelphia Academy of Art. He supported himself by painting portraits of wealthy and prominent local citizens. It was in Philadelphia where Catlin met a delegation of 10 or
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EARTHSONG
George Catlin (American, 1796-1872), Buffalo Bull Grazing, 1844. Lithograph. Gift of Laura and Arch Brown.
15 Native people arrayed in their ceremonial robes, their brows decorated with the quills of war eagles. This left a lasting impression on Catlin and gave him a direction to follow for the rest of his life. He determined to visit every Indian tribe on the continent of North America to create portraits of their notables along with descriptive narratives. He also intended to collect examples of their costumes, weapons and artifacts “for the use and instruction of future ages.”
