Wash-ka-mon-ya, Fast Dancer, a Warrior

George Catlin, Wash-ka-mon-ya, Fast Dancer, a Warrior, 1844-1845, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.520
Copied George Catlin, Wash-ka-mon-ya, Fast Dancer, a Warrior, 1844-1845, oil on canvas, 29 x 24 in. (73.7 x 60.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.520
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Wash-ka-mon-ya, Fast Dancer, a Warrior
Artist
Date
1844-1845
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
29 x 24 in. (73.7 x 60.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — Strong Wind
  • Indian — Iowa
Object Number
1985.66.520
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.520

Artwork Description

Fast Dancer was among a group of Iowa warriors and their families who joined George Catlin in London in the 1840s, where the artist had traveled to exhibit and promote his Indian Gallery. The Iowa arrived in London fully equipped with clothing, domestic implements, weapons, canoes, and plenty of face paint. The handprints on Fast Dancer’s chin and cheeks probably signify that he had killed an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.