Artwork
The Running Fox on a Fine Horse - Saukie
The Running Fox on a Fine Horse - Saukie 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
Overview
Created in 1865, *The Running Fox on a Fine Horse – Saukie* is an oil painting executed on card that has been mounted on a paperboard support. The work belongs to the American folk‑art tradition and records a moment of Native American equestrian life as observed by the artist during his western travels.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a Plains Indian rider, identified by his feathered headdress, fringed buckskin shirt, and a feathered staff held in his right hand. He guides a dark brown horse caught in mid‑gallop across a green field beneath a pale blue sky, conveying a sense of motion and the cultural importance of horsemanship among the tribes.
Technique & Style
Catlin applied oil paint directly onto a stiff card, a material choice common among itinerant artists of the period. The handling is straightforward, with clear outlines and modest modeling that emphasize narrative over fine detail, reflecting the folk‑art aesthetic rather than academic refinement.
History & Provenance
George Catlin, a lawyer‑turned‑painter, made several trips to the American West in the 1830s, producing portraits and scenes of Plains Indian life. This particular image was painted after those journeys, during a later phase of his career when he continued to document Indigenous subjects for a northeastern audience.
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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