Bull Bear

The last time I asked you guys for suggestions, I got a ton of people asking for more Native American figures. While this is tough because there isn’t much source material available, I found this great treasure trove of Public Domain images recently made available by the Walters Art Museum. In it were many sketches by Alfred Jacob Miller, who was an American artist best known for his paintings of trappers and Native Americans in the fur trade of the western United States. I was very drawn in by this distinguished portrait of Matau-Tathonca, also known as Bull Bear.

Bull Bear was chief of the Oglala Sioux tribe. According to Karen McWhorter:
In 1834, the Oglala Sioux began to move southward from their traditional home on the Missouri River into the Laramie Plain, historically a shared hunting ground for many tribes. The Sioux’s migration caused tumult among the many Indian cultures who communally used the area, many of whom were longstanding enemies. According to Bernard DeVoto, this painting is “the only portrait of a very famous Indian, really named Bull Bear, the chief of the Oglala Sioux.” On their westward journey, Miller’s caravan met Bull Bear and his men east of Fort Laramie and rode with them to the fort’s gate. In the notes that accompany this portrait, Miller recounts the murder of Bull Bear, which occurred in 1841, years after the artist met the Sioux leader.

Make sure you check out the prints available of this work on the Royalty Now Etsy Store - link in bio. Thank you for all of the support that helps me continue doing what I do.

Left Portrait: Public Domain of the United States, Provided courtesy of the Walters Art Museum. Right Portrait base: iStock Photo. Created using Photoshop & Artbreeder 

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