Nót-To-Way, a Chief
1835-1836
George Catlin was on a desperate mission to preserve the faces and cultures of Native Americans before westward expansion changed them forever, and this portrait of the Ioway chief Nót-To-Way is a striking result. Painted around 1835, the chief stands tall and dignified against a dreamy, cloud-filled sky, his face painted a deep red and adorned with a magnificent headdress of black and white feathers. He grips a tomahawk in one hand and wears a heavy white fur robe draped over his shoulder, showcasing the intricate beadwork and traditional regalia of his people. Catlin traveled thousands of miles to create his 'Indian Gallery,' essentially a traveling museum aimed at showing Eastern audiences the nobility of the tribes he encountered.