La Salle Assassinated by Duhaut. May 19, 1686 1847 - 1848

George Catlin painted "La Salle Assassinated by Duhaut, May 19, 1686" during the 19th century. Catlin created this painting at a time of great interest in North American history and the expansion of the United States. The image depicts the death of the French explorer La Salle at the hands of his own men. Catlin’s painting employs a romantic style, softening the edges of violence through landscape. Made at a time of Westward expansion, it could be considered a cautionary tale of the challenges of taming the American wilderness. But this is not just a painting about the past; it speaks to the contemporary politics of Catlin's time. To fully understand this work, one must examine how narratives of exploration and conquest were used to legitimize particular political agendas. We might look at government documents, travel narratives, and popular literature to understand the history of this painting. By placing art in its social and institutional context, we are better able to understand its historical contingency and continued relevance.