Artwork
Rhododendron Mountain
Rhododendron Mountain is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist George Catlin. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Rhododendron Mountain is an oil painting executed on card that has been mounted on paperboard, a modest support typical of field-sketch or working studies.
Rhododendron Mountain is an oil painting executed on card that has been mounted on paperboard, a modest support typical of field-sketch or working studies. The work measures 46.3 cm in height by 62 cm in width, giving it a horizontal landscape orientation. Classified as a landscape painting, it depicts a tree as its primary subject, consistent with Catlin's documentary approach to American scenery.
The oil-on-card technique and paperboard mounting reflect a utilitarian handling of materials suited to a work of this scale and subject.
History & Provenance
George Catlin executed Rhododendron Mountain in 1863 as an oil painting on card mounted to paperboard. Upon 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 piece directly from Elizabeth Wing Catlin.
The museum retained the painting until 1959, at which point it was sold 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 is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it is inventoried as accession number 1965.1.11. It was first acquired by the American Museum of Natural History in 1912 from Elizabeth Wing Catlin, one of George Catlin’s daughters, and later sold in 1959 through Kennedy Galleries, New York, to Paul Mellon, who gifted it to the National Gallery of Art in 1965.
The work has no recorded exhibition history in the provided sources.
Overview
George Catlin's Rhododendron Mountain, painted in 1862, is an oil on card mounted on paperboard. This landscape work is characterized by its focus on a prominent tree within a mountain setting. The painting is considered an example of American folk art, reflecting a distinct artistic approach from the mid-19th century.
Catlin, an American painter and former lawyer, is primarily recognized for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a large, meticulously rendered tree set against a mountainous backdrop. Despite the work's modest dimensions, the tree dominates the composition, its scale emphasized by the intimate format. This deliberate focus on a singular natural element invites close observation of its form and texture, making the tree the primary subject rather than merely a component of a broader vista.
Context
George Catlin, the creator of Rhododendron Mountain, had a career marked by diverse artistic endeavors. Before this landscape, he gained recognition for his extensive visual records of Native American life on the American frontier. His earlier artistic output also included engravings of locations along the Erie Canal, which were featured in one of the earliest lithographed books. This painting thus represents a different facet of an artist known for his documentary approach.
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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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