Seminolee Indians, Prisoners at Fort Moultrie

George Catlin painted Seminolee Indians, Prisoners at Fort Moultrie in 1865, classifying it as a history painting within his broader documentation of Native American subjects. The work entered the National Gallery of Art's collection through the gift of Paul Mellon in 1965, having previously been held by the American Museum of Natural History and sold via Kennedy Galleries. Its scholarly focus reflects Catlin's role in shaping early ethnographic art practices and his influence on 19th-century visual representations of Indigenous peoples.

Created in 1865, this oil painting on card affixed to paperboard depicts a group of Seminole individuals assembled at Fort Moultrie. Six figures are arranged outdoors, some seated, others standing, their attire rendered in earthy tones of brown, red and green, accented by vivid feathered ornaments. The composition records a moment of captivity, with a rifle, a basket and a solitary child among the gathered persons.

The work records Seminole prisoners held at the South Carolina fort during the post‑Civil War era, offering a visual document of their traditional dress and material culture. By presenting the captives in a calm, observational manner, the artist emphasizes their individuality and cultural markers, such as feathered headdresses and woven baskets, while subtly alluding to the broader context of forced displacement and military confinement.