George Catlin was a fascinating figure of the nineteenth century, an artist-explorer who ventured deep into the wilds of the newly discovered Americas to paint the rapidly vanishing indigenous populations, their leaders, warriors, medicine men and scenes from their modes of life. The gifts Catlin received over the years from these remote peoples formed the basis for a vast, important collection which Catlin loaned to the world’s biggest museums, together with his portraits. Because of the stunning, life-like likenesses he created, the awed tribes dubbed Catlin Te-hee-pe-nee Washed which means The Great White Medicine.
This new 2017 edition of My Life Among the Indians is illustrated with many examples of Catlin’s artwork from this period.