Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-12-10

When Catlin came to what was
the Upper Missouri, he found the
Indians decidedly unappreciative Of
che pictorial art of the whites, and
they were reluctant to sit or stand
for their portraits. 1t was a new
experience for them-something
they did not understand. Moreover,
their medicine men, whose office it
was to protect them from mahgn
influences, warned them that il
was dangerous to have their pic
lures painted.
We may laugh at their credulity, or
express contempt for their ignorance.
forgetting meanwhile, that not very
long ago, our ancestors were equally
superstitious. And as for ourselves? A
man nailed a horseshoe on his kitchen
door to protect his family from evil
spirits. Why he nailed the shoe to the
kitchen door and not to the front door
likewise, no one knows. Then how many
people prefer not to undertake jour
ney or any new work on a Friday;
or catch our first glimpse of the new
moon over the left shoulder; refuse to
sit down with Is at the table, and con-
slider it unlucky to turn back after
leaving a housed These are but few
Of our lingering superstitions, after
centuries of civilization.
with established conditions, or attempt
TO introduce new ideas among any
people, and those who do so must ex-
pect to suffer the consequences. In
the case of Catlin, he did not realize
that he was an offender, until those
better VerSed in Indian customs warned
him.
At one time he had set up his easel
and posed the head chief Of the Sioux
Frv- l. No. Tho latter 1TTaWPn
in all his finery, including an imposing
war bonnet and richly embroidered
garments. Everything was ready, and
Catlin was about to begin, when from
the group of Indians who had gathered
to view the performance there arose
the sound of lamentation, as Cathns
brush touched the canvas. The women
put their hands over their mouths,
and made the most pitiful and doletul
Iaments," while tears streamed down
their faces, and companlonlng their
walls were the cries of the children.
Catlin could not understand what 1t
was all about, but the chief knew, ana
turning to the mournerS, he assured
them that no injury was being done
him. The medicine man OF the tribe
had told them it was bad medicine TO
be painted, and their chief would suffer +
some mishap, or probably die, II his
OlClQTe Was pdulJGG. AZ tAAC fSAJ A-e.'pf
something would be taken from him
10 his great loss.
In this instance, Catlin's subject
managed to quiet the fears Of his
people. and the painting was accom-
plished
When their fears were quoted, they
all desired to be painted, and those
who we're chosen, earned the envy OF
their fellows, who felt themselves
sighted.
It was either Bodmer or Catlin who
had a singular experience. One day a
beautifully dressed young man entered
his improVised studio and asked to have
his picture painted; but to this the
other Indians who were there offered
an effective protest. They said he was
no warrior, but an idler-what in
present-day slang would be denomin-
ated a lounge lizard" If he were
painted, no self respecting Indian
would afterward serve as a model for
the artist. The young man made no
attempt to defend himself-he knew 1t
was useless-but in the best of humor