Shon-ta-yi-ga, Little Wolf, a Famous Warrior

Object Details

Artist

George Catlin, born Wilkes-Barre, PA 1796-died Jersey City, NJ 1872

Sitter

Little Wolf

Luce Center Label

Between 1844 and 1845, fourteen members of the Iowa tribe joined George Catlin’s tour of London and Paris. In France, their achievements were impressive: the whole party met King Louis Philippe, Catlin installed the Indian Gallery in the Louvre, and he exhibited works in the prestigious Paris Salon. However, Europe held tragedy as well. Several people in Catlin’s entourage died of disease or illness. Shon-ta-yi-ga, an Iowa warrior, experienced heartbreak that paralleled Catlin’s own. Both men lost a wife and a son while on this trip. Catlin’s quest cost him not only personally, but financially, and he was thrown into debtors’ prison in 1852.

Credit Line

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.

1844-1845

Object number

1985.66.521

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

29 x 24 in. (73.7 x 60.9 cm)

See more items in

Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection

Department

Painting and Sculpture

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Topic

Indian\Iowa

Portrait male

Record ID

saam_1985.66.521

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk74a826c18-1da0-417e-8b59-29b24254ef2f