Ballgame in Choctaw

The painting depicts a historical scene with a large number of Native Americans depicted fighting or dancing on an open plain. The men are mostly nude or wearing minimal clothing and are decorated with war paintings. Some are armed with spears, bows and arrows. Their camp can be seen in the background with tipi tents and dense forests with hills completing the scenery.

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Prevailing color of this fine art print is blue and its shape is landscape. This image is printed on demand - you can choose material, size and finishing.

George Catlin (1796-1872) was an American traveller, writer and painter of the Romantic period who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Wild West. His mother kindled his interest in indigenous people through her tales of how she had been captured in childhood. Catlin was born in Pennsylvania and even as a child conducted expeditions to uncover Indian relics and artefacts. His first works were engravings. After a brief career as a lawyer, he exhibited his main collections of Native American motifs. As a traveller, he accompanied General William Clark on a diplomatic mission and published a book about his journey between tribes across America. Among the best known are the Cheyenne or Assiniboine. He captured not only Indian chieftains but also cruel Torture of Prisoners or a public ballgame. Between 1830-1838, he painted more than 500 paintings. After returning home, he founded his own Indian Museum, where he exhibited his works and gave lectures about his experiences that he gained among the Indians. With his collection, he travelled throughout the US and European capitals. He tried to sell his collection to the American government several times. They, however, steadfastly refused. Finally, due to personal debts, he had to sell everything to industrialist Joseph Harrison. He spent the next 20 years forming a second collection known as the Cartoon Collection, numbering 400 paintings.