Artwork
Three Selish Indians
Three Selish Indians 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
Three Selish Indians is executed in oil on card that is mounted on paperboard, a support typical of Catlin's mid-19th-century portable works.
Three Selish Indians is executed in oil on card that is mounted on paperboard, a support typical of Catlin's mid-19th-century portable works. The painting measures 45.8 cm in height by 61.6 cm in width, dimensions recorded in the museum catalog. Its formal qualities include a naturalistic portrait style with emphasis on individual expression and detailed rendering of indigenous attire, consistent with Catlin's documented approach to documenting Native American subjects.
The surface exhibits a smooth application of oil paint without visible brushstroke emphasis, reflecting a conventional handling of the medium in his portraiture.
History & Provenance
George Catlin executed this oil portrait on card in 1862. 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 piece directly from Elizabeth Wing Catlin.
The museum retained the painting until 1959, when 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.
Three Selish Indians is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C. It was acquired in 1965 as a gift from Paul Mellon, following its sale in 1959 by Kennedy Galleries, New York, to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. Prior to this, it descended through George Catlin's daughters and was purchased in 1912 from Elizabeth Wing Catlin. The work measures 45.8 cm by 61.6 cm and dates to 1862, as recorded in its provenance and cataloging data.
The painting has been exhibited at the National Gallery of Art, though specific exhibition venues beyond the permanent collection are not detailed in the provided sources.
Overview
Created in 1862, this oval oil painting on card, later affixed to paperboard, presents three figures arranged in a line against a blue‑yellow backdrop. A muted gray border frames the composition, emphasizing the central group. The work reflects George Catlin’s focus on documenting Native peoples, capturing both attire and ceremonial objects with a straightforward, observational approach.
Subject & Meaning
The three figures are depicted in traditional dress, adorned with feathers, jewelry, and a decorated staff held by the central figure. Their posture and regalia suggest a ceremonial or representative gathering, offering a visual record of cultural identity among the Selish, a Plains tribe, as observed by Catlin during his field expeditions.
Own this work as a print
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.
Bulls Fighting
Expedition Encamped on a Texas Prairie. April 1686
An Alligator's Nest
Mrs. George Catlin (Clara Bartlet Gregory)
Chief of the Taensa Indians Receiving La Salle. March 20, 1682
A Small Village - Payaguas Indians
Omaha Chief, His Wife, and a Warrior
Father Hennepin Leaving the Mississippi to Join La Salle. May 8, 1680
