Ball-play of the Choctaw – Ball Up

George Catlin, Ball-play of the Choctaw--Ball Up, 1846-1850, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.428A
Copied George Catlin, Ball-play of the Choctaw--Ball Up, 1846-1850, oil on canvas, 25 3⁄4 x 32 in. (65.4 x 81.4 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.428A
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Ball-play of the Choctaw – Ball Up
Artist
Date
1846-1850
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
25 3⁄4 x 32 in. (65.4 x 81.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Indian — Choctaw
  • Recreation — sport and play — ball
  • Architecture Exterior — domestic — teepee
Object Number
1985.66.428A
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.428A

Artwork Description

In 1834, George Catlin witnessed Choctaw lacrosse in Indian Territory near present-day Oklahoma, and was captivated by the game. He described ball-play as “a school for the painter or sculptor, equal to any of those which ever inspired the hand of the artist in the Olympian games or the Roman forum.” Lacrosse, which involved a no-holds-barred struggle for the ball, was a physical, even violent, game called “little brother of war” in Choctaw.