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The image shows a group of Indigenous people outdoors near a tent-like structure. One person stands at the center wearing a shawl, necklace, and feathered headpiece. Others are sitting or standing nearby, with a child holding a small stick. In front of them are fish, and in the background, fish are drying on a line near the tent. The setting is a forest with tall trees under a sky.
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The image shows a group of Indigenous people outdoors near a tent-like structure. One person stands at the center wearing a shawl, necklace, and feathered headpiece. Others are sitting or standing nearby, with a child holding a small stick. In front of them are fish, and in the background, fish are drying on a line near the tent. The setting is a forest with tall trees under a sky.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

A Flathead Chief with His Family

George Catlin

Date
1855/1869
Medium
oil on card mounted on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 46.3 x 62.5 cm (18 1/4 x 24 5/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Accession number
1965.16.151
Credit line
Paul Mellon Collection
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CAB
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • American
  • North American Indian
  • genre
  • American Paintings, Catlin
  • portrait
  • Chief (unnamed)
  • Son of chief (unnamed)
  • Flathead
  • Salmon
  • Wives of chief (two unnamed)
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 50459. 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.