The West in Jacksonian Arts

Jennifer Bishop – Brandeis HS

Jacksonian Era

James Fenimore CooperThe Last of the Mohicans

John Augustus StoneMetamora

Last of the Wampanoags

Some Indians go on speaking tours.Black Hawk speaks to Philadelphia, & NY.

Jacksonian EraArt exhibition opened in New York City in 1837

Indians on the page and the stage are now on canvas

Artist – George Catlin – almost 500 paintings of Native Americans

Portraits, scenes of hunting, religious ceremonies, and village life

George Catlin

Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians (1841)

Catlin used his paints and brushes to record the history of a people undocumented

George CatlinBelieved there were 2 types of IndiansOriginal characterSecondary CharacterArgument used by Jackson to move Native Americans West - Trail of TearsSecondary Character – 5 civilized tribes?

George CatlinAdvantages and disadvantages of Paintings as a source?

Painting and theatre vs. paintings?

Visualize reasons for prejudice of the era.

Tells us of life and culture of Native Am.

He established no ties with tribes, but are these tribes truly untouched by white culture?

Shon-Ka-Ki-He-Ga, Horse Chief, Grand Pawnee Head Chief, Pawnee, 1832.

Mah-To-Toh-Pa, Four Bears, Second Chief, in full dress, Mandan, 1832

La-Doo-Ke-A, Buffalo Bull, A grand Pawnee Warrior, Pawnee, 1832

Pshan-Shaw, Sweet-Scented Grass, 12 yr old daughter of Bloody Hand, Arikara, 1832

Ju-Ah-Kis-Gaw, Woman with her child in a cradle, Ojibwa (Chippewa) , 1835

Wi-Jun-Jon, Pigeon’s Egg Head (The Light) Gong to and Returning from Washington, Assiniboine, 1837 - 1839

Fort Pierre, Mouth of the Teton River, 1200 miles above St. Louis, 1832

Buffalo Hunt under the Wolf-Skin Mask, 1832 - 1833

Bird’s-Eye View of the Mandan Village, 1800 miles above St. Louis, Mandan, 1837 - 1839

Sioux encamped on the Upper Missouri, Dressing Buffalo Meat and Robes, Western Sioux (Dakota), 1832

Mandan O-Kee-Pa Ceremony, Mandan 1832

Credits

“George Catlin and his Indian Gallery.” http://americanart.si.edu/Catlin/index.html.