Mouth of the Rio Purus 1854 - 1869

George Catlin made this painting, Mouth of the Rio Purus, using oil on canvas during a period of increasing colonial expansion into indigenous lands. Catlin, an American painter, is best known for his portraits of Native Americans in the Old West, and while his intentions may have seemed benign, his work was shaped by the politics of his time. Catlin believed Native Americans were a vanishing race, an idea that served to justify the displacement and cultural erasure of indigenous peoples. In this light, his paintings become less about preservation and more about creating a record, tinged with romanticism, of a culture perceived to be fading. The inclusion of a small boat hints at exploration and the encroachment of foreign influence. The muted tones and serene composition belie the underlying tensions of cultural contact and the power dynamics at play, making us consider whose story is being told, and from what perspective.