: More than just the story of a single artist, the special
exhibition "George Catlin and His Indian Gallery," on view
February 7-April 18, 2004, at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
speaks to the encounter of two cultures in North America.
The exhibition features more than 120 works from a crown jewel in
the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection: the nearly
complete surviving set of Catlin's first Indian Gallery, painted
in the 1830s. Besides oil paintings, a group of American Indian
objects showing the artist as collector will be on view, as will
a selection of books Catlin authored. After opening in Kansas
City, "George Catlin and His Indian Gallery" travels to Los
Angeles, Houston and New York to celebrate the bicentennial of
the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-06.
"George Catlin and His Indian Gallery" is organized by the
Smithsonian American Art Museum. The exhibition is installed
chronologically. It begins with the story of Catlin's early work
in Philadelphia and continues through his epic journeys across
the Plains following the Lewis and Clark trail, and later, to the
near-Southwest with military excursions. The final sections of
the show detail Catlin's exhibitions, publications and lifelong
promotion of his work, as well as his relationship with the
Smithsonian Institution.
Catlin (1796-1872), a lawyer turned painter, decided in the 1820s
that he would make it his life's work to record the life and
culture of American Indians living on the Plains.
In 1830, Catlin visited General William Clark, governor of the
Missouri Territory, superintendent of Indian affairs in St Louis
and famous co-leader of the 1804 expedition with Meriwether
Lewis. Clark became Catlin's mentor, showing him his Indian
museum, introducing him to the American Fur Trading Co, and
taking him to visit Plains tribes.
In 1832, Catlin made an epic journey that stretched more than
2,000 miles along the upper Missouri River. St Louis became
Catlin's base of operations for the five trips he took from 1830
to 1836, eventually visiting 50 tribes.
Catlin's quest turned into a lifelong obsession that shaped his
subsequent travels and the course of his life. In pursuit of his
goals, this artist also became an explorer, historian,
anthropologist, geologist, collector, journalist, author,
lecturer and promoter.
Catlin's dream was to sell his "Indian Gallery" to the US
government so his life's work would be preserved intact. After
several failed attempts to persuade various officials, he toured
with it in Europe in the 1840s, where he often featured Native
Americans dancing, creating the earliest version of what later
would become the Wild West Show.
Tragically, Catlin was forced to sell the original "Indian
Gallery" in 1852 due to personal debts. He spent the final 20
years of his life trying to recreate his collection.
In 1872, Catlin came to Washington at the invitation of Joseph
Henry, the first secretary of the Smithsonian. Until his death
later that year, Catlin worked in a studio in the Smithsonian
"Castle." A Philadelphia collector's widow donated the original
"Indian Gallery" - more than 500 works - to the Smithsonian in
1879.
Free programs including lectures, gallery talks and a special
performance of American Indian stories and music, will accompany
the exhibition.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is at 4525 Oak Street. For
information, 816-561-4000 or www.nelson-atkins.org.
