Ball-play of the Choctaw--Ball Up

About this artwork

In 1834, George Catlin witnessed Choctaw lacrosse in Indian Territory near present-day Oklahoma, and was captivated by the game. He described ball-play as “a school for the painter or sculptor, equal to any of those which ever inspired the hand of the artist in the Olympian games or the Roman forum.” Lacrosse, which involved a no-holds-barred struggle for the ball, was a physical, even violent, game called “little brother of war” in Choctaw.

Art Historical Context

George Catlin's *Ball-play of the Choaw--Ball Up* (1846-1850) pulses with the raw energy of Native American life, capturing a dynamic group of Choctaw players locked in a fierce struggle for the ball. Set against a backdrop of teepees, oil painting freezes the chaotic thrill of this traditional game—a no-holds-barred contest that presaged modern lacrosse. Catlin, a pioneering 19th-century artist devoted to documenting Indigenous cultures, painted this as part of his vast Indian Gallery, created from sketches made during his travels. In 1834, Catlin witnessed Choctaw lacrosse in Indian Territo...

About the Artist

George Catlin · 1796–1872

George Catlin (1796–1872), born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Putnam Catlin and Polly Sutton—who had been captured by Native Americans during the 1778 Battle of Wyoming—initially pursued a legal career. Trained at Litchfield Law School, he was admitted to the bar in 1819 but abandoned law after two years to study art in Philadelphia in 1823. Self-taught as a portraitist, Catlin quickly gained ...