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The painting shows a coastal scene from an elevated viewpoint. The horizon splits the image between the sky and the sea. A sailboat can be seen on the horizon. On the left, there are tall trees with thin trunks and lush foliage. The color palette transitions from greens and browns to yellows and oranges in the sky with scattered clouds. Below the trees, there are figures on a cliff overlooking more figures on the shoreline.
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The painting shows a coastal scene from an elevated viewpoint. The horizon splits the image between the sky and the sea. A sailboat can be seen on the horizon. On the left, there are tall trees with thin trunks and lush foliage. The color palette transitions from greens and browns to yellows and oranges in the sky with scattered clouds. Below the trees, there are figures on a cliff overlooking more figures on the shoreline.

National Gallery of Art · Painting

An Indian Ladder - Nayas Indians

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
1965.16.221
Credit line
Paul Mellon Collection
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CAB
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • painted surface
  • American
  • Ladder
  • North American Indian
  • genre
  • American Paintings, Catlin
  • Nayas
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 50529. 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.