Artwork
Old Menomonie Chief with Two Young Beaux
Old Menomonie Chief with Two Young Beaux 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. Created in 1865, this oil painting depicts an elder chief from the Menominee tribe accompanied by two younger men.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1865, this oil painting depicts an elder chief from the Menominee tribe accompanied by two younger men. The trio stands in an open landscape under a clear sky, each holding a distinct object—a feather‑tipped staff, a spear, and a flute—suggesting roles within the community. The composition conveys a calm, contemplative atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, identified as an old Menominee chief, is presented in a white robe, a possible sign of status or interaction with European dress. The younger companions, dressed in traditional attire and adorned with feathered hairpieces, hold implements associated with leadership, hunting, and music, hinting at the transmission of cultural knowledge across generations.
Technique & Style
Executed on card that has been mounted on paperboard, the work employs oil pigments with a relatively flat, folk‑art sensibility. Brushwork is modest and the colors are restrained, emphasizing form over detail. The background sky and clouds are rendered in broad washes, reinforcing the painting’s serene mood while maintaining a straightforward, documentary quality.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced by George Catlin, a former lawyer who turned to art as a means of recording Native American life during his travels across the frontier in the 1830s and 1840s. After changing hands several times, it entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it remains on view.
Context
Catlin’s oeuvre is notable for its extensive visual record of Plains and Great Lakes tribes at a time of rapid cultural change. This painting reflects his ongoing interest in Indigenous subjects and aligns with the broader 19th‑century American folk tradition, which often combined personal observation with a simplified aesthetic to convey ethnographic information.
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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