First Sailing of the Griffin on Lake Erie. August 7, 1679

No specific accession number is published, and exhibition records for the piece are not noted in the documented provenance.

First Sailing of the Griffin on Lake Erie was painted by George Catlin in 1848 in oil on canvas. The work remained in the artist's possession and passed by descent to his three daughters, Clara Gregory Catlin, Louise Catlin Kinney, and Elizabeth Wing Catlin. In 1912 the painting was purchased from Elizabeth Wing Catlin by the American Museum of Natural History.

It was sold in 1959 through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia, who gave it to the National Gallery of Art in 1965, where it remains. No specific accession number is published, and exhibition records for the piece are not noted in the documented provenance.

The 1848 oil on canvas titled First Sailing of the Griffin on Lake Erie measures 37.8 cm by 56.5 cm and is classified as a history painting that portrays a boat and a tree. Acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 1965 through a gift from Paul Mellon, the work has remained in a major public collection, reinforcing Catlin's standing as an early chronicler of Great Lakes exploration and serving as a point of reference for the study of nineteenth-century American historical painting.

George Catlin's oil on canvas painting, First Sailing of the Griffin on Lake Erie. August 7, 1679, was completed in 1848. This historical work captures a pivotal moment in North American exploration, depicting the initial voyage of the vessel Griffin on Lake Erie.

The composition features the sailing ship against a backdrop of trees, reflecting Catlin's interest in documenting significant events and landscapes from early American history.

The painting commemorates the inaugural journey of the Griffin, a brigantine built by René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, which sailed on Lake Erie in 1679. This event marked a notable milestone in the European exploration and mapping of the Great Lakes region. Catlin's depiction serves to record and highlight this specific act of early American expansion and settlement, aligning with his broader artistic goal of preserving scenes from the nation's formative years.

Although George Catlin is primarily recognized for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures during his travels in the American West in the 1830s, First Sailing of the Griffin demonstrates an earlier facet of his artistic output. This work aligns with his earlier efforts to record regional landscapes and historical sites, particularly those connected to the development of New York State, such as the Erie Canal. The painting illustrates his enduring commitment to visually chronicling significant chapters of American history.