Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Fine Art Tuesday

 

George Catlin was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1796 and died in New Jersey in 1872.

He is notable for painting more than 500 Native-Americans in a time (1830s) and place when beaver pelts and barrels of bear-grease outnumbered canvases and linseed oil (for paint) by 10,000 to 1.

As a frame of reference, Pittsburgh had a population of 13,000 in 1830. Cincinnati had a population of 25,000. St Louis boasted 14,000. St Paul, MN wasn't founded until 1841.

If some of his painting seem to lack some of the fine detail seen in European paintings of the same period, consider that he could not just saunter down to the local art-store and buy another three camel-hair brushes when his wore out.

Ball Players

Tipis

Osceola

A chief of the Plains Ojibwa tribe

Cutting ceremony

A chief going to Washington dressed as a native, coming back as a dandy

Woman of the Wichita tribe

Crow woman, her name translated into English as "Woman who lives in a bear's den"

 Hat-tip to 10x25mm (I think) for suggesting this artist.

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