Four Kiowa Indians 1861 - 1869

George Catlin made this painting, Four Kiowa Indians, in the 1830s using oil on canvas. Catlin saw himself as recording an authentic image of Native American life before it disappeared. The painting depicts three men and a woman with a baby, presumably a family. Two of the men have traditional weapons and garments, but they are presented in a formal studio style, reminiscent of European portraiture. This approach flattens the cultural complexity of the Kiowa people. Catlin toured his Native American collection as a commercial enterprise, which tells us that the market for these images was based on popular romanticism rather than rigorous ethnography. Art historians use archival sources like letters, diaries, and financial records to understand the social and institutional context of art. By doing so, we can look beyond the surface of the image and understand the complex social dynamics that influenced its production and reception.