Artwork
Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes
Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist George Catlin. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The work descended within the Catlin family, passing from the artist to his daughters Clara Gregory Catlin, Louise Catlin Kinney, and Elizabeth Wing Catlin.
George Catlin painted Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes in 1861, working in oil on card mounted on paperboard. The work descended within the Catlin family, passing from the artist to his daughters Clara Gregory Catlin, Louise Catlin Kinney, and Elizabeth Wing Catlin. In 1912, the American Museum of Natural History purchased the painting directly from Elizabeth Wing Catlin.
The museum later deaccessioned it in 1959, selling it through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. Mellon in turn gave the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1965, where it remains in the collection.
The painting is currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its collection history begins with the artist, George Catlin, and continues through his daughters before the American Museum of Natural History purchased it from Elizabeth Wing Catlin in 1912. The work was subsequently sold in 1959 through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. It entered the National Gallery of Art's permanent collection as a gift from Mellon in 1965.
The provided sources do not contain information regarding specific inventory or accession numbers, nor do they list any exhibition history for this work.
Overview
George Catlin's 1865 painting, Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes, depicts a communal activity within the Kiowa community. Rendered in oil on card and mounted on paperboard, this work reflects Catlin's broader artistic mission to document Native American life. The scene portrays individuals peacefully collecting wild grapes under a tree, offering a visual record of indigenous customs and their interaction with the natural world.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork captures a specific moment of daily life, showing Kiowa people working together to gather wild grapes. This genre scene emphasizes cooperation and the practical aspects of sustenance within the community. Catlin's intention was to record the customs and environments of indigenous populations, presenting a direct observation of their activities and cultural practices.
Technique & Style
Catlin executed this painting using oil paints on a card substrate, which was then affixed to paperboard. This medium choice facilitated a relatively immediate and descriptive approach, consistent with his aim of visual documentation. The style is observational, focusing on the details of the activity and the figures, characteristic of his broader body of work that sought to capture the realities of Native American existence.
Context
Originally trained in law, George Catlin dedicated his career to portraying Native American cultures. His extensive travels through the American West in the 1830s allowed him to create a vast collection of portraits and genre scenes, particularly of Plains Indians. Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes, though painted later, aligns with his lifelong project of creating an ethnographic visual record of indigenous peoples and their traditions.
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Artist & collection
Artist
George Catlin ( KAT-lin; July 26, 1796 – December 23, 1872) was an American lawyer, painter, author, and traveler, who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the American frontier.
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