Bogard, Batiste, and I Chasing Buffalo in High Grass on a Missouri Bottom

George Catlin, Bogard, Batiste, and I Chasing Buffalo in High Grass on a Missouri Bottom, 1837-1839, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.486
Copied George Catlin, Bogard, Batiste, and I Chasing Buffalo in High Grass on a Missouri Bottom, 1837-1839, oil on canvas, 19 5827 12 in. (49.770.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.486
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Artwork Details

Title
Bogard, Batiste, and I Chasing Buffalo in High Grass on a Missouri Bottom
Date
1837-1839
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
19 5827 12 in. (49.770.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Recreation — sport and play — hunting
  • Animal — horse
  • Animal — buffalo
  • Portrait male — Catlin, George — self-portrait
  • Landscape — river — Missouri River
Object Number
1985.66.486

Artwork Description

“In this voyage, Ba'tiste and Bogard were my constant companions; and we all had our rifles, and used them often. We often went ashore amongst the herds of buffaloes, and were obliged to do so for our daily food. We lived the whole way on buffaloes' flesh and venison . . . We met immense numbers of buffaloes in the early part of our voyage and used to land our canoe almost every hour in the day; and often times all together approach the unsuspecting herds, through some deep and hidden ravine within a few rods of them, and at the word, ‘pull trigger,’ each of us bring down our victim.” George Catlin probably sketched this scene on the Upper Missouri in 1832, but didn’t complete this painting until several years later. (Catlin, Letters and Notes, vol. 2, no. 32, 1841; reprint 1973)