Co-ee-há-jo, a Chief

George Catlin, born Wilkes-Barre, PA 1796-died Jersey City, NJ 1872 · 1838

In January 1838, George Catlin traveled to Fort Moultrie, near Charleston, South Carolina, to paint the portraits of chiefs and warriors who were imprisoned for their involvement in the Seminole War. Among them was Seminole chief Co-ee-há-jo, and the war’s celebrated leader, Osceola. To gain access to the men required the intervention of the secretary of war, who ordered the fort’s commanding officer to provide any assistance that Catlin needed. Time was of the essence since Osceola had fallen ill and was feared to be dying. Catlin got his portraits of Co-ee-há-jo and Osceola, who died only a few days later. Here, Catlin recorded the pattern in the chief’s robe and the ruffled sleeves of his European shirt. (Gurney and Heyman, eds., George Catlin and His Indian Gallery, 2002)