Who painted Three Esquimaux?

Three Esquimaux was painted by George Catlin in 1862.

Where can I see Three Esquimaux?

Three Esquimaux is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Three Esquimaux?

Three Esquimaux is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Three Esquimaux

George Catlin , 1862

Three Esquimaux is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist George Catlin. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1862, *Three Esquimaux* is an oil painting executed on card that has been mounted on paperboard. The work presents three Arctic figures standing in a wintry landscape, each rendered with a restrained palette of blues, browns and beiges. The composition is quiet and still, inviting the viewer to contemplate the scene rather than to dramatize it.

Subject & Meaning

The three individuals are depicted in traditional winter attire; the leftmost figure turns away, the central figure holds a spear, and the rightmost figure carries an infant on the back. Their placement in a snowy setting suggests a focus on daily life and survival in a harsh environment, reflecting an ethnographic interest in the customs of Inuit peoples.

Technique & Style

Catlin employed oil on card, allowing for visible, textured brushwork that gives the surface a tactile quality. The muted tonal range and soft handling of light echo early Impressionist concerns with atmospheric effects, though the approach remains grounded in realistic portraiture rather than abstraction.

History & Provenance

The painting belongs to the later phase of George Catlin’s career, after his extensive travels among Native American groups in the 1830s. By the 1860s he had broadened his scope to include Arctic peoples, and *Three Esquimaux* was produced as part of this expanded documentary series. The work has remained in private collections before entering a museum holding focused on American art.

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.