
George CatlinAmerican, 1796–1872Catching the Wild Horse
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Catching the Wild Horse” now? Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
During the 1830s, George Catlin traversed the Great Plains to record the appearance and customs of Native people. He was among the first artists of European descent to travel widely in the Midwest and West, spending eight years chronicling scenes of daily life among the 48 indigenous tribes he encountered. In 1844, with the intention of honoring and preserving Native culture in the face of growing oppression by the U.S. government and military, Catlin published a series of 25 hand-colored lithographs based on his sketches and paintings. Though he romanticized many of his subjects, the prints in North American Indian Collection provide a glimpse of Native culture on the U.S. frontier in the 1830s.
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Details
- Accession number
- P.86.37.4
In the catalog
Sources
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
- Image: Minneapolis Institute of Art — public domain
In the life of George Catlin
The whole life1844
Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio
He publishes a portfolio of 25 plates with hunting scenes of the West.
1845
Death of his wife Clara and a son in Paris
In Paris his wife Clara, whom he had married in 1828 and who had accompanied him on one of his journeys west, dies of consumption, as does their youngest son. The remaining children are taken in by his wife’s relatives.
1845
Moves to Paris
He moves with his family from England to Paris.







