Omaha Chief, His Wife, and a Warrior

Executed in 1861, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a card support, which is subsequently mounted onto paperboard. The work measures approximately 45.1 by 60 centimeters. Stylistically, the composition functions as a genre portrait depicting three Native American figures: a chief, his wife, and a warrior.

The visual narrative incorporates specific cultural elements, notably the inclusion of a bow and arrow within the scene. The piece is classified formally as a painting, reflecting Catlin's approach to documenting indigenous subjects during this period through a combined support structure of card and board.

George Catlin executed this oil on card portrait in 1861. Following the artist's death in 1872, the work passed by descent 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 retained ownership until 1959, when it sold the piece through Kennedy Galleries of New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. Mellon subsequently donated the work to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1965, where it remains in the collection.

The painting Omaha Chief, His Wife, and a Warrior is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it was accessioned in 1965 as a gift. Prior to this transfer, the work was part of the collection of the American Museum of Natural History, having been purchased from the artist's daughter, Elizabeth Wing Catlin, in 1912. Before entering the museum, the piece descended through George Catlin's daughters.

In 1959, the American Museum of Natural History sold the painting through Kennedy Galleries in New York to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. The artwork, created in 1861, remained in the Mellon collection until his gift to the National Gallery of Art six years later. No specific exhibition history is detailed in the provided records.

Created by American artist George Catlin in 1861, "Omaha Chief, His Wife, and a Warrior" is an oil painting on card, affixed to paperboard. This work functions as a group portrait, presenting three distinct figures. It reflects Catlin's long-standing dedication to documenting Indigenous cultures of North America, particularly those from the Plains region, through direct observation and artistic representation.

George Catlin, originally trained in law, dedicated his career to visually recording the Indigenous peoples of the American West. He undertook five extensive journeys across the frontier during the 1830s, immersing himself in various tribal cultures. His artistic project aimed to create a comprehensive visual record of Native American life, which he believed was rapidly changing due to westward expansion.