Artwork Details
- Title
- Ball-play of the Choctaw – Ball Down
- Artist
- Date
- 1834-1835
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 19 5⁄8 x 27 5⁄8 in. (49.7 x 70.1 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on canvas
- Subjects
- Figure group — male
- Indian — Choctaw
- Recreation — sport and play — ball
- Object Number
- 1985.66.429
Artwork Description
In Choctaw lacrosse, which George Catlin witnessed in 1834, each team was cheered on by friends, family, and fans who camped at the opposite ends of the field to watch the game and bet on its outcome. Catlin noted that women did much of the wagering, which involved “knives-dresses-blankets-pots and kettles-dogs and horses, and guns.”