THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 797 



gallery of one hundred and fifty-two portraits, then on deposit in the 

 Institution, Mr. Stanley, speaking of his work, after stating the price at 

 twelve thousand dollars, said : 



The undersigned commenced his labor in this work in 1842, and devoted the best 

 years of his life in traveling through the region of our country peopled principally by 

 the red men — through the wilds of Oregon and what is now Washington Territory. 

 All of the portraits are accurate likenesses of prominent chiefs and braves, and readily 

 recognized by men who have had intercourse with the various tribes of Indians. 



Since 1852 he has cherished the hope (but has not been able to realize it) that Con- 

 gress would authorize the purchase of this collection. 



He will not affect the modesty of refraining from expressing his belief that no 

 other gallery (aside from what artistic merit the public may award it) possesses the 

 interest, in a national j)oint of view, that this does. Some of the chiefs represented 

 are no longer living, and, to the little we know of their history, it will be some satis- 

 faction to add the perpetuation of their features. These were taken from life and in 

 the character they themselves preferred to be handed down to the gaze of future gen- 

 erations. 



Mr. Stanley's communication was referred to three members of the 

 board of regents for report, viz, Prof. C. 0. Felton, Hon. Stephen A. 

 Douglas, and Hon. George E. Badger. May 19, 1858, Professor Felton, 

 for the committee, presented a report on the application of Mr. Stanley 

 for the purchase by the Smithsonian Institution of his Indian gallery. 

 Speaking of the value of the collection, the report, after showing the 

 unadvisability of its purchase from the Smithsonian funds, says : 



They (the committee) would earnestly express the opinion that, in a national point 

 of view, the value of these portraits can hardly be estimated. 



They represent forty- three different tribes, and are taken from the leading per- 

 sonages in them. The artist has studied carefully the peculiarities of the tribes, the 

 characteristic expressions of the individuals, their natural attitudes and actions, their 

 several styles of costume and ornament, and has reproduced, with artistic skill, all 

 these particulars. In this interesting enterprise he has given ten of the best years of 

 his life, having traversed, with great labor and inconvenience, the principal regions 

 inhabited by the subjects of his pencil. 



The report closes with the recommendation that the board of regents 

 recommend the purchase of the Stanley Indian gallery by Congress. 



Mr. Stanley deposited his collection of Indian portraits and scenes in 

 the Smithsonian Institution in March, 1852. They were at once placed 

 in the picture gallery, and attracted many visitors. 



No action was taken by Congress as to the purchase, and the collec- 

 tion remained in the Smithsonian from March, 1852, until the afternoon 

 of Tuesday, January 24, 1865, when it was almost totally destroyed 

 by fire. Some five or more pictures were rescued, some of them in a 

 damaged condition, and are now the property of his heirs or assigns. 

 The pictures (not in this catalogue) of Uncas, " The War-path," and the 

 " Signal" were also saved. In a report made by a committee of the 

 Board of Regents of the Smithsonian, February 2, 18G5, on the origin of 

 the fire and the character and extent of the loss sustained, is the fol- 

 lowing: 



"The loss to other parties was as follows : 



"First. The contents of what was called the picture • gallery, viz; . 



