La Salle Erecting a Cross and Taking Possession of the Land. March 25, 1682

George Catlin

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a group of people gathered in a clearing next to a riverbank. The horizon features lush trees and a pale blue sky with wispy clouds. In the foreground, Indigenous individuals interact with men in European-style clothing near a tall cross. Nearby, a collection of rounded huts is nestled among tall trees. The brushstrokes are fine with detailed crowd and subtle texture in vegetation. The color palette includes earthy browns, greens, and soft pastels in the sky.