An Aged Minatarree Chief and His Family

George Catlin

National Gallery of Art

The image shows four individuals seated or reclining on the ground. On the left, an older man is seated, leaning back slightly, with patterned facial markings and long dark hair adorned with feathers. He wears a fur-trimmed shawl over his shoulders, elaborate leg coverings decorated with quillwork, and holds a long pipe with feathers attached. In the center, a younger man sits with a child on his lap; his hair is also long and decorated with feathers, and he has necklaces around his neck. To the right, a woman reclines, propped on one arm, with long hair and wearing a simple garment with necklaces. The background consists of a painted cloudy sky in pastel hues, suggesting an outdoor setting with sandy terrain, while a shield and spear decorated with feathers and fur stand in the ground behind them.