George Catlin was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, in 1796. Trained in law and called to the bar in 1818, he quickly abandoned the profession to become a portraitist and miniaturist. After seeing an indigenous delegation in the Eastern United States, he conceived the project of traveling the continent to paint the nations he considered threatened by American expansion. Between 1830 and 1836, Catlin traveled from Saint Louis along the Missouri and the Great Plains, visiting numerous communities. He produced portraits, landscapes, ceremonies and scenes of life on site or shortly after for his "Indian Gallery". Between 1830 and 1836, Catlin traveled from Saint Louis along the Missouri and the Great Plains, visiting numerous communities. He produced portraits, landscapes, ceremonies and scenes of life on site or shortly after for his "Indian Gallery". He produced portraits, landscapes, ceremonies and scenes of life on site or shortly after for his "Indian Gallery". He produced portraits, landscapes, ceremonies and scenes of life on site or shortly after for his "Indian Gallery". He produced portraits, landscapes, ceremonies and scenes of life on site for his "Indian Gallery". Between 1830 and 1836, Catlin traveled from the continent to paint the nations he considered threatened by American expansion. Between 1830 and 1836 On-sáw-kie belong to this company of appointment and individual representation. Clothing, body paintings, weapons and objects are described precisely, while the often neutral backgrounds focus attention on the model. The whole constitutes a major visual source, particularly for communities disrupted by forced displacement, epidemics and destruction of bison herds. It must nevertheless be read with caution: the titles, translations, tribal groupings and interpretations often come from Catlin or non-indigenous mediators. It must nevertheless be read with caution: the titles, translations, tribal groupings and interpretations often come from Catlin or non-indigenous mediators. His project also transforms the people and ceremonies encountered into a spectacle intended for an audience euro-american. From 1839, Catlin exhibited his gallery in London, Paris and Brussels, accompanying paintings of objects, conferences and sometimes performances. In debt, he lost the first collection then painted more than four hundred replicas and continued his travels in North and South America. He published extensively and defended an early form of nature conservation. Died in 1872, he did not see the Indian Gallery join the Smithsonian in 1879. His work remained at once an irreplaceable testimony, a personal construction and a critical document of American colonial history. Died in 1872, he did not see the Indian Gallery join the Smithsonian in 1879. His work remained at the same time irreplaceable testimony, personal construction and critical document of American colonial history. Died in 1872, he did not see the Indian Gallery join the Smithsonian in 1879. His work remained at the same time irreplaceable testimony, personal construction and critical document of American colonial history. Died in 1872, he did not see the Indian Gallery join the Smithsonian in 1879. His work remained at the same time irreplaceable testimony, personal construction and critical document of American colonial history. Died in 1872, he did not see the Indian Gallery join the Smithsonian in 1879. reading favors figures.
Looking at Catlin requires two movements: recognizing the individual presence of its models and questioning the colonial system that framed, named and exhibited their images.
