Tcha-aés-ka-ding, Grandson of Buffalo Bull's Back Fat
1832
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
1985.66.159
Tags
About this artwork
This plump six-year-old was directly in line to become chief of the Blackfoot. Twice kidnapped by Crow, he lived at Fort Union under the protection of its chief trader Kenneth Mackenzie, who planned to keep him until âhe shall arrive at the proper age to take up the office which he is to succeed.â
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 ...