This Week in the West

This Week in the West: George Catlin, the Artist Driven to Capture Native Culture

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🤠This Week in the West

🎙️ Episode 60: George Catlin, the Artist Driven to Capture Native Culture

📢 Episode Summary:

This episode of This Week in The West reflects on the life and legacy of George Catlin, who died on December 23, 1872. Driven by an obsessive sense of urgency, Catlin dedicated his life to documenting Native American tribes at a moment when disease, westward expansion, and U.S. government policy were rapidly transforming—and often destroying—Indigenous cultures. His hundreds of paintings form one of the most significant visual records of Native life before forced removal and large-scale cultural disruption.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1796, Catlin defied his family’s wishes that he pursue a legal career, abandoning law to follow his passion for art. Drawn west by stories of Native peoples and inspired by the legacy of Lewis and Clark, Catlin traveled to St. Louis in 1830 to meet William Clark and secure support for his ambitious goal: painting members of as many tribes as possible. Over the next several years, he visited more than 50 tribes, journeying across the Plains and into the Rocky Mountains, creating portraits and scenes that emphasized dignity, individuality, and cultural richness.

By the late 1830s, Catlin had assembled more than 500 paintings into his famed Indian Gallery, even as he openly worried about the impact of policies like the Indian Removal Act and events such as the Trail of Tears. Although his work was better received in Europe than in the United States, financial hardship forced him to sell the original collection. Undeterred, Catlin spent his final decades recreating much of his work in what became known as the “Cartoon Collection.” Though recognition came too late for him, his original gallery was eventually preserved by the U.S. government and now resides in the Smithsonian, securing his vision for future generations.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

  • How George Catlin raced against time to document Native American cultures before forced removal and westward expansion reshaped the continent
  • Why Catlin’s portraits and writings emphasized the dignity, individuality, and cultural depth of more than 50 Native tribes
  • How Catlin’s work was nearly lost—and ultimately preserved—despite financial failure, criticism, and lack of recognition during his lifetime

    • 👥 Behind the Scenes

    Host: Seth Spillman
    Producer: Chase Spivey
    Writer: Mike Koehler

    🔗 Further research:

    • The Smithsonian’s collection of George Catlin’s works: https://americanart.si.edu/artist/george-catlin-782
    • The National Parks and George Catlin: https://www.nps.gov/people/george-catlin.htm
    • George Catlin and Native American Art: A Conversation with MONAH: https://crystalbridges.org/blog/george-catlin-and-native-american-art-monah/

      • 📬 Connect With Us:

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      🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map

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      🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

      🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708
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      🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/ 

      ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!



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