La Salle Crossing Lake Michigan on the Ice. December 8, 1681 1847 - 1848

"La Salle Crossing Lake Michigan on the Ice. December 8, 1681," is an 1847-1848 oil painting by George Catlin depicting the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, and his men crossing Lake Michigan on the frozen surface. The painting highlights the challenges of early European exploration in North America, showcasing a long line of men pulling canoes across the ice, with a snowy landscape in the background. Catlin was a renowned artist known for his work depicting Native American life and the American West, and this piece is a prime example of his historical and geographical documentation.