ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
The image shows three individuals standing side by side on a grassy landscape. The central figure is holding a stick and wearing a garment with intricate patterns. They have long hair with feathers, a prominent nose, and full lips. The person on the left is wrapped in a patterned robe and has feathers in their hair. The individual on the right wears a fringed dress with circular patterns, long flowing hair, and a steady gaze. All three wear wrist bands or bracelets. The background has soft pastel hues depicting a sky and earthy tones for the surroundings.
Read the visual description

The image shows three individuals standing side by side on a grassy landscape. The central figure is holding a stick and wearing a garment with intricate patterns. They have long hair with feathers, a prominent nose, and full lips. The person on the left is wrapped in a patterned robe and has feathers in their hair. The individual on the right wears a fringed dress with circular patterns, long flowing hair, and a steady gaze. All three wear wrist bands or bracelets. The background has soft pastel hues depicting a sky and earthy tones for the surroundings.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

A Cheyenne Chief, His Wife, and a Medicine Man

George Catlin

Date
1861/1869
Medium
oil on card mounted on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 47.2 x 63.2 cm (18 9/16 x 24 7/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Accession number
1965.16.36
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
  • Cheyenne
  • He-wan-e-tax, orator and medicine man
  • Loots-a, wife of chief
  • Ne-hee-o-woo-tis (The Wolf on the Hill), chief
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/129; upper center on board on applied paper: 48.; lower edge on board beneath figures: c a b; upper center reverse: 48.

NGA object ID 50344. 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.