Magnificent Clay Bluffs, 1800 Miles above St. Louis

George Catlin, Magnificent Clay Bluffs, 1800 Miles above St. Louis, 1832, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.370
Copied George Catlin, Magnificent Clay Bluffs, 1800 Miles above St. Louis, 1832, oil on canvas, 11 1⁄8 x 14 1⁄2 in. (28.4 x 36.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.370
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Magnificent Clay Bluffs, 1800 Miles above St. Louis
Artist
Date
1832
Location
Dimensions
11 1⁄8 x 14 1⁄2 in. (28.4 x 36.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Landscape — river
  • Landscape — mountain
  • Western
Object Number
1985.66.370
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.370

Artwork Description

George Catlin was captivated by the landscape along the Missouri River, which was so different from his native Pennsylvania. He described this view of the naturally formed “domes” and “towers” as “one of the most grand and beautiful scenes of the kind to be met with in this country.” He supposed that the black line above the water was a vein of coal. (Truettner, The Natural Man Observed, 1979)