Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes by Catlin, George
George Catlin's "Kiowa Indians Gathering Wild Grapes," painted in 1861 and now at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, captures a tranquil moment of daily life.
Most viewers focus on the figures, but the painting holds subtle clues to its identity. Look for the small, almost-invisible catalog number in the bottom left corner and the artist's faded signature on the bottom right.
Catlin, originally a lawyer, dedicated his career to documenting Native American life in the American West during the 1830s. This work is part of his extensive visual record of indigenous customs and environments, created using oil on card mounted on paperboard. It offers a glimpse into his lifelong project.
These tiny details often go unnoticed, but they tell a quiet story of the painting's journey through time.
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Transcript
This painting captures a peaceful scene of Kiowa life. The artist, George Catlin, traveled widely to record these scenes. He was a lawyer who dedicated his life to painting Native Americans. Look closely at the bottom left corner of the painting. A faint number, likely a catalog label, is almost invisible. And in the bottom right, you can see the artist's faded signature.