Encampment of Pawnee Indians at Sunset 1861 - 1869

George Catlin made this painting of a Pawnee encampment, using oil on canvas, sometime in the mid-19th century. Catlin worked quickly, and prolifically, to document what he saw as a vanishing way of life. The landscape is softened by the hazy sunset, but Catlin’s hand is evident in the details. See how he renders the tipis, tiny figures, and even the individual blades of grass? This precision speaks to his aim to capture the scene accurately. Of course, oil paint itself has a history. It’s a portable medium, favored by itinerant artists like Catlin. It allowed a relatively fast mode of production, and the creation of many images for commercial circulation. Ultimately, paintings like this one are artifacts of encounter. Catlin’s work isn’t just a record; it's also a reminder of the unequal power dynamics inherent in the act of observation itself, and the market for images of Indigenous life.