Mun-ne-pús-kee, He Who Is Not Afraid; Ko-ha-túnk-a, Big Crow; and Nah-cóm-ee-shee, Man of the Bed, Three Young Warriors

About this artwork

“These portraits set forth fairly the modes of dress and ornaments of the young men of the tribe, from the tops of their heads to the soles of their feet. The only dress they wear in warm weather is the breech-cloth, leggings, and moccasins of dressed skins, and garters worn immediately below the knee, ornamented profusely with beads and wampum. These three distinguished and ambitious young men were of the best families in the Osage Nation; and as they explained to me, having formed a peculiar...

Art Historical Context

In 1834, American artist George Catlin captured a striking group portrait of three young Osage warriors at Fort Gibson in present-day Oklahoma: *Mun-ne-pús-kee (He Who Is Not Afraid, *Ko-ha-túnk-a (Big Crow)*, and *Nah-cóm-ee-shee (Man of the Bed, Three Young Warriors)*. Catlin, renowned for his depictions of Native American life during the early 19th century, painted them together at their own request, highlighting their close bond and status as members of the tribe's elite families. The painting meticulously documents traditional Osage attire for warm weather: breech-cloths, leggings, and m...

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 ...