Arapaho Chief, His Wife, and a Warrior 1861 - 1869

George Catlin made this painting of an Arapaho Chief, his wife, and a warrior, using oil on canvas. Here, Catlin depicts three figures on a plain. The warrior and chief are both armed with rifles, evidence of trade and the tragic encroachment of colonial powers on Indigenous life. The artist’s brushwork is quite visible and open. It is not a polished surface but rather one that emphasizes the gestures of the artist’s hand. This visible labour on the painting’s surface reflects the cultural encounter, and invites reflection on the ways in which images and objects can mediate between cultures. Catlin was interested in documenting what he saw as a disappearing way of life. While his intentions might have been admirable, the act of painting itself was part of the process of cultural transformation that he sought to record. Ultimately, the canvas becomes a testament to both cultural exchange and the shifting social landscape of the American West.