This essay critically analyses the painter’s use of visual means to represent the subject and demonstrate that Catlin did not depict his sitters entirely lifelike by focusing on the authenticity, modifications and external influences of his portraits.
The brief historical and cultural contextualisation of the topic will be followed by an analysis of the portraits of the tribal chiefs Stu-mick-o-súcks and Máh-to-tóh-pa as examples of ‘Republican Indians’. Subsequently, it scrutinizes the historical impact of the artist’s portraits by introducing Catlin’s narrative portrait of Wi-jún-jon, which documents an Indian individual’s fate and reveals the artist’s attitude towards Native Americans’ encounter with civilisation.
Work completed under the supervision of Dr Simon Knowles in fulfilment of the requirements of the Module HA 2009 "Creator and Subject: Themes in Portraiture", University College Cork, 2016.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Relevant Background
3. Stu-mick-o-súcks (Buffalo Bull’s Back Fat)
4. Máh-to-tóh-pa (Four Bears)
5. Didactic Portraits: Wi-jún-jon (Pigeon’s Egg Head, The Light)
6. Conclusion
Objectives & Research Themes
This essay critically analyzes how artist George Catlin utilized visual representation to memorialize Native American subjects in the 19th century, arguing that his works are not entirely lifelike but rather ideological constructions influenced by the contemporary Western zeitgeist.
- The impact of 19th-century political ideology and the "Manifest Destiny" myth on portraiture.
- The tension between authenticity and manipulation in the artistic depiction of tribal figures.
- The evolution of the "Republican Indian" and "noble savage" tropes in American art.
- The narrative use of portraiture to document the consequences of Western civilization on indigenous individuals.
- The role of the artist as both a recorder of culture and a contributor to the romanticized image of the "lost" Indian.
Excerpt from the Book
Stu-mick-o-súcks (Buffalo Bull’s Back Fat)
One of the best examples of a ‘Republican Indian’ and the political influence in Catlin’s work is the portrait of Stu-mick-o-súcks (Fig. 1). The Blackfoot chief’s authority is underlined by the portrait-genre itself, which was traditionally associated with statesmen. Although these portraits appreciated realism, they were manipulated to serve a certain class or ethnical ideal. Bearing in mind that the artist had connections to Federalists, a sachem represents virtues and hierarchical order suitable for Republican ideology. In combination with the romanticising of Native American life, Catlin depicts one of the last representatives of ‘noble races of red men’.
This nobility is described in Catlin’s letter, when he introduces Stu-mick-o-súcks as ‘a good-looking, dignified Indian, about fifty years of age, and superbly dressed’. The strong facial features and the chief’s calm, direct gaze underline his intellectuality. According to Catlin, the remarkable hairstyle identifies Stu-mick-o-súcks as a member of his tribe and the proud display of his long hair reveals him as a successful warrior. This statement is supported by the vast amount of scalp-locks, which are used as battle-trophies to decorate the sachem’s leather tunic and which caught Catlin’s special fascination.
Thus, the reader gets the impression that the artist had carefully studied his subject’s costume in connection to tribal customs before portraying him as lifelike. Nevertheless, the comparison between Catlin’s original sketch (Fig. 2) and the later painting reveals significant manipulations in the depiction of Stu-mick-o-sucks. While the half-length drawing shows the chief seated in front of painted indigenous tepees, the environment is omitted in the later three-quarters portrait. Consequently, the focus is laid on the subject’s serious expression, which suggests authority and intelligence. This representation was commonly used in heroic portraiture to convey the impression of power.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The introduction establishes the historical context of the 19th-century United States and sets the objective to critically analyze Catlin’s use of visual representation as a means of memorializing Native Americans.
Relevant Background: This chapter contextualizes the socio-political climate, specifically the tensions between settlers and indigenous tribes, and how this climate influenced Catlin’s mission to paint Native individuals.
Stu-mick-o-súcks (Buffalo Bull’s Back Fat): This section analyzes how the portrait of the Blackfoot chief serves as an example of a "Republican Indian," highlighting how the artist manipulated elements of the painting to fit specific ideological ideals.
Máh-to-tóh-pa (Four Bears): This chapter examines the dual representation of the Mandan chief, showing how Catlin captured tribal characteristics while simultaneously adapting to established visual patterns of status and power.
Didactic Portraits: Wi-jún-jon (Pigeon’s Egg Head, The Light): This section explores the narrative portrait of Wi-jún-jon as a warning of the catastrophic consequences of indigenous encounters with white society and the loss of cultural identity.
Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, asserting that while Catlin’s works are not naturalistic, they stand as vital, historically influenced visual documents that helped create a romanticized legacy of Native Americans.
Keywords
George Catlin, Native American portraiture, 19th century art, Republican Indian, Stu-mick-o-súcks, Máh-to-tóh-pa, Wi-jún-jon, visual representation, cultural encounter, Manifest Destiny, indigenous identity, historical documentation, zeitgeist, artistic manipulation, noble savage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how artist George Catlin represented Native Americans through portraiture during the 19th century, analyzing the gap between realistic depiction and ideological manipulation.
What are the primary themes discussed in the text?
Central themes include the political influence of "Republican" ideology on art, the romanticization of indigenous cultures, the impact of westward expansion, and the cultural erosion of Native Americans through contact with Western civilization.
What is the author's primary research objective?
The goal is to demonstrate that Catlin’s portraits were not objective records of reality but were crafted through specific visual strategies to memorialize Native Americans according to the political and social myths of his time.
Which scientific methodology does the author apply?
The author utilizes historical and cultural contextualization combined with art-historical visual analysis of specific portraits to compare the artist's sketches and paintings against ideological frameworks.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines three specific subjects—Stu-mick-o-súcks, Máh-to-tóh-pa, and Wi-jún-jon—to illustrate how Catlin used costumes, poses, and narrative settings to convey different messages about authority, status, and the consequences of assimilation.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include George Catlin, Native American portraiture, Republican Indian, cultural encounter, and the romanticization of the indigenous "Other."
How does the portrait of Wi-jún-jon illustrate the theme of "moral decay"?
The author notes that Catlin used the transformation of Wi-jún-jon from a traditionally dressed chief into a "swaggering dandy" to warn of the dangers of Western influence, complete with symbols of moral decay like alcohol and tobacco.
Why does the author argue that Catlin’s paintings may have contributed to the extinction of Native Americans?
The author suggests that by freezing Native Americans in a "noble, yet doomed" identity and accepting the idea that they could not adapt to modernity, Catlin helped justify the status quo that led to the decline of these cultures.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christina Haupt (Autor:in), 2016, George Catlin’s Portraits of Native Americans, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/370263
