Catching the Wild Horse 1844

George Catlin made this watercolor painting, Catching the Wild Horse, during the 1830s while traveling through the American West. Catlin’s work provides insight into a period of intense cultural exchange and conflict on the Great Plains. Catlin, who self-identified as an ethnologist, traveled through Indigenous territories documenting the lives and customs of various tribes. While his intentions may have been to preserve a record of these cultures, his work was inevitably shaped by the prevailing attitudes of his time. The concept of Manifest Destiny, the belief that American settlers were destined to expand across the continent, deeply influenced how people perceived Indigenous people and their relationship to the land. To fully understand Catlin’s work, it is essential to consider the social and political context in which it was produced. Historical documents, tribal histories, and contemporary scholarship can offer valuable insights into the complexities of this period. By examining these resources, we can develop a more nuanced understanding of Catlin’s art and its place in American history.