Catlin's own clothing is more hunters clothing that wealthy patrons could imagine themselves wearing instead of what actually was worn on the frontier. By changing the clothing and surroundings of the two men Catlin makes the scene identifiable as Native American, less threatening and more appealing to viewers. Similarly Catlin took great liberties when sketching Chief Osceola. Osceola was imprisioned and I'll when Catlin took time away from touring to paint him at Fort Moultrie. Catlin depicts Osceola as a heroic figure befitting a epic poem with his classical stance and costume. The painting shows no indication that Osceola was a defeated warrior imprisioned and dying. Catlin used his images to conjure bigger audiences. He felt that people "could be pursuaded to see entertaining images of people who were colorful and dramatic but who no longer threatened white
Catlin's own clothing is more hunters clothing that wealthy patrons could imagine themselves wearing instead of what actually was worn on the frontier. By changing the clothing and surroundings of the two men Catlin makes the scene identifiable as Native American, less threatening and more appealing to viewers. Similarly Catlin took great liberties when sketching Chief Osceola. Osceola was imprisioned and I'll when Catlin took time away from touring to paint him at Fort Moultrie. Catlin depicts Osceola as a heroic figure befitting a epic poem with his classical stance and costume. The painting shows no indication that Osceola was a defeated warrior imprisioned and dying. Catlin used his images to conjure bigger audiences. He felt that people "could be pursuaded to see entertaining images of people who were colorful and dramatic but who no longer threatened white