Beggar's Dance, Mouth of Teton River

This oil-on canvas was created ca. 1836 by American artist George Catlin (1796-1872). Catlin’s collection of Native American portraits includes over 400 paintings created during his travels in the American West during the 1830s and 1840s. In his notes, Catlin wrote “In this dance every one sings as loud as he can halloo; uniting his voice with the others, in an appeal to the Great Spirit, to open the hearts of the bystanders to give to the poor, and not to themselves; assuring them that the Great Spirit will be kind to those who are kind to the helpless and poor.” (Smithsonian)