Cheyenne Village 1861 - 1869

George Catlin made this painting, Cheyenne Village, using oil on canvas. Catlin chose to depict the Cheyenne in their natural environment, emphasizing their resourcefulness by featuring tipis made from animal hides. Notice the other hides stretched out in the foreground. Preparing hides was labor-intensive work for the women of the tribe. After a successful hunt, they would carefully remove the skin from the animal, scrape off the fat and flesh, and then soak it in a solution of brains and fat to soften it. This was then stretched and staked to dry. Beyond their practical function, the hides served as canvases for artistic expression; Cheyenne women painted geometric patterns and figurative scenes onto them, recording tribal history. Catlin's painting reminds us that materials, making, and context are crucial to understanding an artwork's full meaning and to challenge the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.