Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa - Mandan

The work was painted by George Catlin in 1861, as recorded in the artist’s records and the painting’s inscription.

It descended by family agreement to Catlin’s daughters, Clara Gregory Catlin, Louise Catlin Kinney, and Elizabeth Wing Catlin, before being purchased in 1912 by the American Museum of Natural History from Elizabeth Wing Catlin. In 1959, the museum sold it through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon, who later gifted it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in 1965.

The work is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces back to the artist George Catlin, passing by descent to his daughters before being purchased in 1912 by the American Museum of Natural History from Elizabeth Wing Catlin. The museum sold the painting in 1959 through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. It entered the National Gallery of Art as a gift from Mellon in 1965.

The provided sources do not contain specific inventory numbers or a record of past exhibitions for this work.

This 1865 oil painting by George Catlin, titled Catlin Painting the Portrait of Mah-to-toh-pa - Mandan, captures a significant moment of artistic creation. The work depicts the American artist himself in the act of painting Mah-to-toh-pa, a prominent chief of the Mandan people. Rendered in oil on card mounted on paperboard, this self-referential portrait serves as both a record of an encounter and an example of Catlin's dedication to documenting Native American cultures.

George Catlin, originally trained as a lawyer, transitioned to painting with a specific mission. During the 1830s, he embarked on extensive journeys across the American West, dedicating himself to documenting the diverse cultures of Plains Indians. His artistic output included numerous portraits and detailed written accounts, forming a comprehensive record of these communities.

Earlier in his career, Catlin had also produced topographical sketches, notably along the Erie Canal, which were later disseminated through early lithographic processes.