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The image shows four individuals in traditional clothing and accessories. Two adults are seated in the center, one adult is standing to the left holding a spear and shield, and one child is standing to the right holding a bow and quiver. The setting includes an open landscape and clouds in the background. The image is framed within an oval on a beige border.
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The image shows four individuals in traditional clothing and accessories. Two adults are seated in the center, one adult is standing to the left holding a spear and shield, and one child is standing to the right holding a bow and quiver. The setting includes an open landscape and clouds in the background. The image is framed within an oval on a beige border.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

A Blackfoot Chief, His Wife, and a Medicine Man

George Catlin

Date
1861/1869
Medium
oil on card mounted on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 46.1 x 61.7 cm (18 1/8 x 24 5/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Accession number
1965.16.28
Credit line
Paul Mellon Collection
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CAB
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • American
  • American Paintings, Catlin
  • North American Indian
  • portrait
  • Blackfoot
  • Eeh-nis-kim (The Crystal Stone), wife of chief
  • Stu-mik-o-suks (The Buffalo's Back Fat), chief
  • Wun-nes-tow (The White Buffalo), medicine man
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.

NGA object ID 50336. 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.