Sac and Fox Sailing in Canoes

George Catlin, Sac and Fox Sailing in Canoes, 1837-1839, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.479
Copied George Catlin, Sac and Fox Sailing in Canoes, 1837-1839, oil on canvas, 19 1⁄2 x 27 5⁄8 in. (49.6 x 70.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr., 1985.66.479
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Sac and Fox Sailing in Canoes
Artist
Date
1837-1839
Location
Dimensions
19 1⁄2 x 27 5⁄8 in. (49.6 x 70.1 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joseph Harrison, Jr.
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure group
  • Landscape — river
  • Western
  • Travel — water — canoe
  • Indian — Sauk and Fox
  • Architecture Exterior — domestic — teepee
Object Number
1985.66.479
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1985.66.479

Artwork Description

“I was often amused at their freaks in their canoes, whilst travelling; and I was induced to make a sketch of one which I frequently witnessed, that of sailing with the aid of their blankets, which the men carry; and when the wind is fair, stand in the bow of the canoe and hold by two corners, with the other two under the foot or tied to the leg; while the women sit in the other end of the canoe, and steer it with their paddles.” (Catlin, Letters and Notes, vol. 2, no. 56, 1841; reprint 1973)