Buffalo Chase in Winter, Indians on Snowshoes

George Catlin, born Wilkes-Barre, PA 1796-died Jersey City, NJ 1872 · 1832-1833

In the summer, plains bison led mounted pursuers on dangerous chases. Winter snows, however, made tracking buffalo safer and easier, slowing the animal’s escape and allowing Indian hunters on snowshoes to move easily over the ground. Catlin traveled in the West in the warmer months and never witnessed such a hunt, but he undoubtedly heard descriptions from both Indians and whites and may have seen the first known representation of it, by the Swiss-Canadian artist Peter Rindisbacher. Catlin painted this work in his studio during the winter of 1832-33.