Mó-sho-la-túb-bee, He Who Puts Out and Kills, Chief of the Tribe - George Catlin

A portrait of the Choctaw chief Mó-sho-la-túb-bee, painted by George Catlin in 1834 during his travels in the American West.

George Catlin painted this portrait of Mó-sho-la-túb-bee, a Choctaw chief, during his 1834 expedition to the American West. Catlin travelled extensively to document the lives and appearances of Indigenous peoples, creating a vast collection of works that capture specific individuals and their traditional attire. This portrait depicts the chief in a blue tunic adorned with small red markings, a white collar, and a large silver gorget. He holds a feather fan in one hand and a pipe in the other, items that signify his status and cultural identity.

The painting reflects the aesthetic conventions of nineteenth-century portraiture, with the subject positioned against a neutral, atmospheric background. Catlin used a direct, observational approach to his subjects, prioritising the accurate rendering of clothing, jewellery, and facial features. The brushwork is relatively loose, yet the attention to the specific details of the chief's regalia is precise. The composition is balanced, with the subject's arms crossed to hold his ceremonial objects, creating a sense of composure and authority.

This work is part of Catlin's Indian Gallery, a collection intended to preserve the visual history of North American tribes. The portrait provides a record of Choctaw leadership and fashion during a period of significant change for the tribe. By documenting these figures, Catlin aimed to create a visual archive of Indigenous cultures as they existed in the early nineteenth century. The painting remains a primary source for understanding the material culture and personal presentation of Choctaw leaders of the era.