Artwork
K'nisteneux Indians Attacking Two Grizzly Bears
K'nisteneux Indians Attacking Two Grizzly Bears is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist George Catlin. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
This painting shows two K’nisteneux Indians in animal skins fighting off two grizzly bears with clubs.
This painting shows two K’nisteneux Indians in animal skins fighting off two grizzly bears with clubs. One man stands on a tree stump, the other crouches behind a tree. The bears rear up, claws out.
George Catlin painted this in 1861 based on his travels west. He spent years with Plains tribes, recording their daily life and battles. The scene looks raw, not staged.
The scene makes you wonder what the story is behind it.
Look for more Catlin, George paintings.
Overview
George Catlin's painting, "K'nisteneux Indians Attacking Two Grizzly Bears," created in 1865, is an oil on card mounted on paperboard. This work exemplifies American folk art and depicts a dramatic encounter between Indigenous figures and wildlife. Catlin, originally trained in law, dedicated his artistic career to documenting the lives and cultures of Native American peoples, a focus evident in this later piece despite his primary travels occurring decades earlier.
Subject & Meaning
The painting vividly portrays two K'nisteneux individuals engaged in a struggle against a pair of grizzly bears. Dressed in animal skins, one man stands atop a tree stump while his companion crouches behind a tree, both armed with clubs. The bears are depicted rearing up aggressively, claws extended, creating a sense of immediate danger and intense confrontation. The composition conveys a raw, unidealized depiction of survival on the frontier.
Context
George Catlin transitioned from a legal profession to pursue painting, driven by a desire to record Native American life in the American West. During the 1830s, he undertook five extensive journeys, producing numerous portraits and scenes of Plains Indian communities. Although "K'nisteneux Indians Attacking Two Grizzly Bears" was painted much later in 1865, it reflects Catlin's enduring commitment to portraying Indigenous subjects and their interactions with the natural world, drawing upon his earlier experiences.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on card mounted on paperboard, this painting demonstrates Catlin's approach to capturing specific events. Classified within American folk art, the work presents a genre scene, focusing on an everyday or archetypal moment rather than a grand historical narrative. The directness of the portrayal, combined with the medium's characteristics, contributes to a style that prioritizes narrative clarity and the dramatic immediacy of the depicted action.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
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