The image depicts a group of people gathered in a clearing next to a riverbank. The horizon features lush trees and a pale blue sky with wispy clouds. In the foreground, Indigenous individuals interact with men in European-style clothing near a tall cross. Nearby, a collection of rounded huts is nestled among tall trees. The brushstrokes are fine with detailed crowd and subtle texture in vegetation. The color palette includes earthy browns, greens, and soft pastels in the sky.

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La Salle Erecting a Cross and Taking Possession of the Land. March 25, 1682

George Catlin (American, 1796 - 1872)

1847/1848

Medium: oil on canvas
Classification: Painting
Dimensions: overall: 37.4 x 56.7 cm (14 3/4 x 22 5/16 in.)
Culture: American
Museum: National Gallery of Art, CAB
Credit line: Paul Mellon Collection
Rights: Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed

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