Pawnee Indians Approaching Buffalo

George Catlin

National Gallery of Art

The image is an oval frame with a separation between the painting and the solid color around it. The point of view is level, showing a natural landscape with a low horizon where grassy plains meet a treeline. In the scene, there are distant buffalo grazing to the left, two resting buffalo in the grass, and a figure partially obscured by foliage to the right. The color palette includes earthy tones, greens, and browns, with a gradient sky from yellow to blue. The brushstrokes are smooth and blended, creating a serene effect. The background transitions from greenery to a fading sky.