Picturing the American Buffalo: George Catlin and Modern Native American Artists

George Catlin was among the earliest artists of European descent to travel beyond the Mississippi River to record what he called the “manners and customs” of American Indians, painting scenes and portraits from life. This exhibition features 36 paintings from Catlin’s original “Indian Gallery” and 10 modern and contemporary works. Together these works, drawn entirely from SAAM’s permanent collection, provide two perspectives on the literal and metaphorical resonance of the buffalo in American art.