606 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1955 



paintings varies as does their artistic quality. One can neither praise 

 nor condemn them all in the same words. Some paintings by Catlin 

 do contain questionable or erroneous elements. In some other paint- 

 ings he exaggerated the truth. But we know, too, that in still other 

 pictures Catlin was remarkably accurate even to minor details. And 

 finally there are paintings by Catlin that no one now living can 

 appraise precisely because they are the only remaining records of 

 their respective subjects. These pictures may be uniquely valuable 

 as contributions to knowledge. Scholars, hobbyists, in fact anyone, 

 adult or child, who enjoys learning about the old West should be 

 grateful to George Catlin for his vision and accomplishment in pre- 

 serving a pictorial record of a picturesque era in western history 

 that is forever gone. 



