Artwork
Three Taruma Indians
Three Taruma Indians 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
Created in 1862, *Three Taruma Indians* is an oil painting on card that has been mounted on paperboard. The work is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It presents three figures in traditional dress, arranged side by side against a blue‑green backdrop that suggests sky or water, with a modest structure visible at the right edge.
Subject & Meaning
The three individuals are members of the Taruma tribe, depicted in their customary attire of feathers, jewelry, and woven garments. By portraying them together, the artist emphasizes communal identity and cultural continuity, offering a visual record of Indigenous dress and adornment during the mid‑nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on a relatively small card support, the painting employs a direct, observational approach typical of American folk art. The brushwork is straightforward, with clear outlines and modest modeling that foreground the figures against a simplified background, underscoring the work’s documentary intent.
History & Provenance
The artist, George Catlin, began his career as a lawyer before turning to art and traveling the frontier in the 1830s to record Plains peoples. *Three Taruma Indians* belongs to the later phase of his prolific series of Native American portraits, reflecting his enduring commitment to ethnographic illustration.
Context
Catlin’s portrait series was produced during a period of rapid displacement of Indigenous communities across the United States. His work sought to preserve visual information about tribal customs at a time when many cultures were under pressure from expanding settlement and government policy.
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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