Há-tchoo-túc-knee, Snapping Turtle, a Half-breed 1834

George Catlin painted this portrait of Há-tchoo-túc-knee, or Snapping Turtle, using oil on canvas. Catlin was known for his portraits of Native Americans, and the material qualities of oil paint play a crucial role in how we interpret this work. The smooth, almost idealized rendering of Snapping Turtle’s face contrasts sharply with the more loosely painted clothing, adorned with what seems to be imported fabric and trim. This difference in texture and detail is quite telling. Catlin's technique seems to highlight a tension between the sitter's identity and the encroaching influence of Western goods and culture. The artist has carefully depicted the textures and patterns of the clothing, suggesting their value as trade items or symbols of status. The very act of painting with oil, a European medium, further underscores this cultural exchange. Ultimately, the portrait invites us to consider the complex interplay between representation, cultural encounter, and the material realities of a changing world. It encourages us to move beyond conventional distinctions between art and ethnography, or painting and craft.