Two Arapaho Warriors and a Woman 1861 - 1869

Editor: This is "Two Arapaho Warriors and a Woman," painted by George Catlin sometime between 1861 and 1869, using watercolors. I’m struck by the directness of their gazes and the softness of the light. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: There's a compelling quiet in Catlin’s rendering, isn’t there? I see it as a kind of record—a visual document if you will—captured during a pivotal and often devastating period of westward expansion. Catlin sought to immortalize what he feared was a disappearing world. Notice the detail in the clothing, the spears—but also the implied narrative. What stories do you think are held within these three figures? Editor: Stories of resilience, maybe? And certainly of a culture under pressure. Is there a reason Catlin focused so heavily on portraiture? Curator: That's a beautiful read. For Catlin, portraiture was about preserving individual identities. He painted hundreds of portraits of Indigenous peoples. These paintings allowed many to glimpse lives and traditions unfamiliar to them. But it wasn’t simply about documentation; he was deeply moved by the cultures he encountered, striving, as all artists do, to connect with something deeper within us all. He wanted others to see that humanity. Editor: That really adds another layer to the work. I’m now seeing it less as just a record and more as a testament, if that makes sense? Curator: Absolutely! And perhaps also as a conversation across time. What conversations can we, the viewers, join simply by looking at these portraits? Editor: A good point! I'll certainly think about this a bit more while touring the gallery today. Curator: Me too! Thanks for bringing this work into sharper focus.