Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-05-20
GEORGE CATLlM--THE Remarkable CAREER
OF PIONEER ARTIST AND AUTHOR OF OLD WEST

MIN this outdoor boy continued his re-
luctant hold on books-tiresome. dry Law
books. -
l nthose days and later there were M
law SCHOOLS. Students preparing them
serves 1or that important profession, read
law In the office of some lawyer. This
Catlin did; was admitted to the bar, and
practlced law for two years in Phila-
delphia, although as he describes 1t, no.
madically." from which we may infer
tnat hunting and fishing alternated with
his profession.
At length, in opposition to the wishes
OF ms the whose ambition for his son
had kept the latter in a niche where he
did not belong, Catlin sold his law
library, n everything else with the ex-
ception, as he explains, of my rifle and
fishing tackle and converting thei pro-
ceeds into brushes n paint pots, / COM
menced the art OF painting In Philadel-
phia without teacher or adviser"
From this 1T will be seen that Catlin
was another ~self-taught artist like our
own Charley Russell, and like Russell,
Catlin preferred to sketch life rather than
scenery. For several vars he pursued his
new calling in Philadelphia and In New
YORK City. All OF this time he was look
ing about him for some line of work
worthy of being a vocation, to which he
u devote his art. Then by mere
chance the question was settled for him.
A deputation Of western Indians visited
Philadelphia. Catlin thought them noble
and digniied looking and "arrayed and
equipped in all their classic ~beauty-with
shield and helmet-with tunic and man
teau-tinted and tasselled off, exactly for
the painters palette" This sight led him
to reflect that black and blue cloth and
CIVILIZATION are destined, not only to veil,
but to obliterate the beauty Of nature.
Man IN the simplicity and l%oftiness OF
his nature, unrestratned and unfettered
by the DISCUSSES OF art, Is surely the most
beautiful model for the painter-and the
country from which he halls is unques-
tlonably The best school OF the arts In
the world; such ! am sure from the
models 1 have seen in the wilderness of
North America, n the history and Gus
TOMS OF such people preserved by pic
torlal Illustrations. are themes worthy
the lifetime Of one man, and nothing
short OF the loss OF my life shall prevent
me from visiting their and of
becoming their historian"
Again, in Catlin's estimate Of the In
dian as an artistic subject, and Of this
western country as the best school OF
arts In the world" he and Russell were
OF the same mind.
haVlng chosen his life work, 1t re-
manned for Catlin to ~acquaint his fam
ly N friends of his decision. They
were one and all bitterly opposed to 1T,
and did everything In their power to dis
5uaue MIN from his purpose, but in vain.
lie was deaf to their entreaties and their
warnings. and there were plenty Of both.
hight at this point in his story, we learn
that Catlin had a wife. But her, also, he
lett, and going into the Indian country
1882, spent eight years there, studying
the languages and Joining in the amuse-
lnents OF n natives that he might gain
Q true understanding of these people,
whose ways differed radically from those