Rock Island, United States Garrison
1835-1836
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Accession Number
1985.66.328
Tags
About this artwork
Rock Island was included in lands ceded by Sac and Fox Indians to the federal government in a treaty signed in 1804. After the War of 1812, the United States Army built a small fort called Fort Armstrong near the western tip of the island; the intent was to keep the Mississippi River open to traffic and to protect the settlers soon to be arriving from the east. After witnessing a treaty there in 1835, George Catlin discussed some of its provisions: âThe Sacs and Foxes are already drawing an an...
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 ...