Pam-a-hó, The Swimmer, One of Black Hawk’s Warriors

George Catlin, Pam-a-hó, The Swimmer, One of Black Hawk's Warriors, 1832, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.13
Copied George Catlin, Pam-a-hó, The Swimmer, One of Black Hawk's Warriors, 1832, oil on canvas, 29 x 24 in. (73.7 x 60.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.13
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Artwork Details

Title
Pam-a-hó, The Swimmer, One of Black Hawk’s Warriors
Artist
Date
1832
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 — Swimmer
  • Indian — Sauk and Fox
Object Number
1985.66.13
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.13

Artwork Description

George Catlin painted Black Hawk and his warriors when they were prisoners at Jefferson Barracks near St. Louis in October 1832. Catlin's visit to Jefferson Barracks must have taken place shortly after he returned from the Upper Missouri. With the experience of his most productive summer behind him, he turned to the Sac prisoners, painting them with a sure economy that emphasizes the oval geometry of their features and their shaven skulls. (Truettner, The Natural Man Observed, 1979)