Sha-Wá-No, The South, a Noted Warrior
1831
George Catlin traveled thousands of miles in the 1830s to capture the likenesses of Native American leaders before their cultures were forever changed by westward expansion. Here, he portrays Sha-Wá-No, a noted warrior, adorned in striking red face paint, vibrant feathers, and a prominent silver peace medal. Catlin's urgent mission to document these cultures resulted in hundreds of vivid portraits that serve as crucial historical records today, though his romanticized perspective is often debated by modern historians.
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