THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 745 



ME. CATLIN'S TRUTH TO FACT AND NATURE — HIS ESTIMATE OF HIS 



OWN WORK. 



Mr. Catlin, in his pictures or works, wisely invented nothing. He 

 saw that the North American Indian cannot be successfully painted in 

 an ideal manner. The heroic side of their life is but an incident. Their 

 domestic and every-day customs, habits, and manners are the essentials 

 to the proper study of their origin and descent, and herein lies the chief 

 value of his books and pictures. 



In his catalogue from 1838 to 1848, in speaking of his collection, (now 

 in the National Museum) he says : 



As this immense collection has been gathered, and every painting has been made, 

 by my own hand, and that, too, when I have been paddling my canoe or leading my 

 pack-horse over and through trackless wilds at the hazard of my life, the world 

 will surely be kind and indulgent, enough to receive and estimate them, as they have 

 been intended, as true and fac simile traces of individual life and historical facts, 

 and forgive me for their present unfinished and unstudied condition as works of art. 



In 1868, in writing of his life's work, he says : 



I have said that I was lucky enough to have been born at the right time to have 

 seen these people (Indians) in their nature, dignity, and elegance ; and thanks to Him 

 in whose hands the destinies of all men are, that my life has been spared to visit most 

 of the tribes in every latitude of the American continent, and my hands enabled to 

 delineate their personal looks and their modes, to be seen and to be criticised after 

 this people and myself shall have passed away. 



My works are done, and and as well as I could do them under the circumstances. 

 In my writings and my paintings I have quoted no one, but have painted and written 

 of things that I saw and heard, and of nothing else. 



HIS ART WORK IN OIL. 



His earlier works in 1829 to 1830 illustrate his first Indian work in 

 oil. Those after those dates show his progress. Some artists would, 

 after 1810, have gone over earlier work and retouched it. !N"ot so Mr. 

 Catlin. He strove for exactness. He was a historian in color, with but 

 little of the finish of the accomplished artist. He did not work for effect. 

 On the contrary, painted nature, animated and still, as he found it. 



Artistically this collection will disappoint many at first sight. Ex- 

 amination and reflection will, however, convince of its truthfulness, and 

 hence its value. 



In 1871 Mr. Catlin, in speaking of his paintings, said : 



It is to be hoped that * * * the visitors will find enough of historical interest, 

 excited by a faithful resemblance to the physiognomy and customs of these people 

 [Indians], to compensate for what may be deficient in them as works of art. 



VALUE OF MR. CATLINGS ART WORK AS AID TO INDIAN WRITERS. 



Mr. Catlings drawings and paintings have furnished illustrations and 

 data for thousands of works on Indians in America. They have been 

 modified, cut, altered, changed, but they remain Catlings work. Au- 

 thors in all lands have used them. Menageries, " Wild West " exhibi- 



