Náw-káw, Wood, Former Chief of the Tribe

George Catlin, Náw-káw, Wood, Former Chief of the Tribe, 1828, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.209
George Catlin, Náw-káw, Wood, Former Chief of the Tribe, 1828, oil on canvas, 18 1⁄2 x 14 in. (47.0 x 35.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.209
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Náw-káw, Wood, Former Chief of the Tribe
Artist
Date
1828
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
18 1⁄2 x 14 in. (47.0 x 35.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Indian — Winnebago
  • Portrait male — Wood
Object Number
1985.66.209
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.209

Artwork Description

Before George Catlin began his extensive travels in the West, he spent time in eastern cities, where he often saw visiting delegations of Native Americans and painted their portraits. Nine members of a Winnebago delegation from present-day Wisconsin sat for him in Washington, D.C., in 1828, and among them was former Winnebago chief Náw-káw, or Wood. Catlin wrote that “this man has been much distinguished in his time, for his eloquence; and he desired me to paint him in the attitude of an orator, addressing his people.” (Catlin, Letters and Notes, vol. 2, no. 52, 1841; reprint 1973)

Works by this artist (56 items)

View all artworks
Paul Herzoff, Dan in Bus, 1971, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.717, ©1971, Paul B. Herzoff
Dan in Bus
Artist
Date1971
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Paul Herzoff, Poetry in Sheetmetal, 1971, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.692, ©1971, Paul B. Herzoff
Poetry in Sheetmetal
Artist
Date1971
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Paul Herzoff, Old Housetruck, 1971, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.721, ©1971, Paul B. Herzoff
Old Housetruck
Artist
Date1971
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Paul Herzoff, Craig's Housetruck, 1971, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.725, ©1971, Paul B. Herzoff
Craig’s Housetruck
Artist
Date1971
gelatin silver print
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Browse All Artworks
Image Not Available
Bently
Artist
Dateca. 1975
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Untitled, ca. 1945-1950, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Lewis and Jean Greenblatt, 2002.86.9
Untitled
Artist
Dateca. 1945-1950
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Untitled, ca. 1945-1950, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Lewis and Jean Greenblatt, 2002.86.7
Untitled
Artist
Dateca. 1945-1950
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Jared French, Margaret French, PaJaMa, Paul Cadmus, PaJaMa (Box A), ca. 1937, gelatin silver prints, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Margaret French, 1999.98.5.16
PaJaMa (Box A)
Artist
Dateca. 1937
gelatin silver prints
Not on view