Three Walla Walla Indians

George Catlin

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows three individuals standing side by side. The individual on the left is shirtless, wearing a fur-like loincloth over fringed trousers and holding a long bow and an arrow. The person in the middle is wearing a cream-colored shawl over similar fringed trousers. The individual on the right is also shirtless and wears a fur-like skirt, but doesn’t appear to be wearing trousers. They have a pot or vessel on their head. All three of the people have light brown skin and dark hair. The two people on the left have long feathers adorning their hair and seem to have red markings on their faces. All three of the people have necklaces and earrings. The background shows a grassy plain and a light blue sky. The painting is surrounded by off-white paper and a pale-blue border.