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This is a painting of a group of Indigenous people engaged in a dance ritual. The figures are adorned in traditional attire, including feathers and body paint, and are arranged in a circular formation. Some figures hold objects resembling musical instruments or ceremonial items. The ground is covered with a light green grass texture, and the sky above is depicted in serene shades of blue with light clouds. The style is reminiscent of George Catlin, known for his paintings of Native American life. The artwork is encased in a painted oval border.
Read the visual description

This is a painting of a group of Indigenous people engaged in a dance ritual. The figures are adorned in traditional attire, including feathers and body paint, and are arranged in a circular formation. Some figures hold objects resembling musical instruments or ceremonial items. The ground is covered with a light green grass texture, and the sky above is depicted in serene shades of blue with light clouds. The style is reminiscent of George Catlin, known for his paintings of Native American life. The artwork is encased in a painted oval border.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

Amusing Dance - Sioux

George Catlin

Date
1861/1869
Medium
oil on card mounted on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 46.7 x 61.7 cm (18 3/8 x 24 5/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Accession number
1965.16.17
Credit line
Paul Mellon Collection
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CAB
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • American
  • Dance
  • American Paintings, Catlin
  • Sioux
  • North American Indian
  • ceremony
Provenance

George Catlin [1796-1872]; by descent to his daughters, Clara Gregory Catlin, Louise Catlin Kinney, and Elizabeth Wing Catlin; purchased 1912 from Elizabeth Wing Catlin by the American Museum of Natural History; sold 1959 through (Kennedy Galleries, New York) to Mr. Paul Mellon, Upperville, VA; gift 1965 to the NGA.

Inscription

lower left on card: A/108; upper center on board, remnant of torn paper without numerals partially obscures pink numerals beneath: [1?]58; upper center on board, right of pink numerals in graphite: 164; upper center reverse in orange crayon: 57; upper center reverse in script, possibly the artist's hand, in graphite: This Collection of paintings is now all ready for a thin Coat of Varnish; upper left reverse in graphite, at angle slanting toward center: 57 pas [or nos] in [or on] ticket; lower left reverse in graphite: Look up; center right reverse in graphite, inverted: Var

NGA object ID 50325. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.