Who painted An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy?

An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy was painted by George Catlin in 1862.

Where can I see An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy?

An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy?

An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy is associated with American Folk Art.

Artwork

An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy

George Catlin , 1862

An Old Nayas Indian, His Granddaughter, and a Boy is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist George Catlin. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

George Catlin’s 1862 oil painting on card, mounted to paperboard, depicts an elderly Native man, his granddaughter, and a young boy positioned in a modest outdoor setting. The composition presents the trio against a muted, hazy landscape of grass and sparse vegetation, rendered in soft blues and greens that recede into the background.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, an older man adorned with a traditional headdress and holding a spear, is flanked by a young woman carrying a feathered object on her back and a child crouching beside her. The grouping suggests a familial relationship and conveys a moment of everyday life within a Plains Indian community, emphasizing continuity across generations.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on a relatively small card support, the work exhibits the straightforward, narrative quality typical of American folk art. Brushwork is gentle and the palette restrained, creating a slightly atmospheric effect that softens the figures against the simple, natural backdrop.

History & Provenance

Catlin, originally trained as a lawyer, turned to painting after extensive travels through the western territories in the 1830s, where he recorded Indigenous peoples through both visual and written means. This piece reflects his ongoing project to document Native American life, a focus that persisted throughout his career.

Context

The painting belongs to a broader body of work produced by Catlin to preserve the appearance and customs of Plains tribes at a time when their societies were undergoing rapid change. It aligns with his earlier endeavors, such as detailed engravings of New York scenery and contributions to early lithographic publications, illustrating his versatile artistic practice.

Artist & collection

Artist

George Catlin

George Catlin ( KAT-lin; July 26, 1796 – December 23, 1872) was an American lawyer, painter, author, and traveler, who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the American frontier.

Museum

National Gallery of Art

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