- Artist:George Catlin
- Medium:Color lithograph
- Size:17.50" X 12"
- Year:1845
- Price:$8,000.00
- Description:Plate #25 of Catlin's "North American Indian Portfolio: Hunting Scenes and Amusements of the Rocky Mountains and Prairies of America" 1844. "In offering this illustration to the reader, I am presenting to him a faithful delineation of the resemblance of an Assinneboin Warrior, the flowing and classic costume of his country, as he appeared on his way to the city of Washington faithfully contrasted with the uncouth plight in which he returned to his tribe the next season, after one year’s teaching in the school of civilization: and in the following narrative, a faithful account of its melancholy and fatal results. Wi-Jun-Jon, the Pigeon’s Egg Head, was a warrior of the Assinneboins, young, proud, handsome, valiant, and graceful. He had fought many a battle and won many laurels. The numerous scalps form his enemies’ heads adorned his dress, and his claims were fair and just for the highest honors that his country could bestow upon him, for his father was head chief of the nation. This young Assinneboin, the Pigeon’s Egg Head, was selected by Major Sanford, the Indian agent, to represent his tribe in a delegation which visited Washington city under his charge, in the winter of 1832. With this gentleman the Assinneboin, together with representatives of several others of those North-western tribes, descended the Missouri river several thousand miles on their way to Washington. Wi-Jun-Jon was the foremost on all occasions – the first to enter the levee, the first to shake the President’s hand, and make his speech to him. He travelled the giddy maze and beheld amidst the buzzing din of civil life the tricks of art, the handiworks, and finery; he visited the principal cities, he saw the forts, the ships, the great guns, steamers, balloons, etc.; and in the spring returned to St. Louis, where I joined him and his companions on their way back to their own country. When I had embarked, and the steamer was about to start, Wi-Jun-Jon made his appearance on deck, in a full suit of regimentals! In Washington, he had exchanged his beautifully garnished and classic costume for a full dress “en militaire.” In this fashion was poor Win-Jun-Jon metamorphosed, on his return from Washington. When the steamer arrived, Wi-Jun-Jon stepped ashore with a keg of whiskey under his arm, and the umbrella in his hand, and took a position on the bank amongst his friends – his parents - his wife and little children – from whom he had been more than a year separated; not one of whom, for half an hour or more, exhibited the least symptoms of recognition, although every soul in the tribe knew well who was before them. He also gazed upon them – upon his wife and little ones who were about – as if they were foreign to him, and he had not a feeling of a thought to interchange with them. He commenced the simple narration of scenes he had passed through, and of things he beheld among the whites, which appeared to his people so much like fiction that it was impossible to believe it, and they set him down as an imposter. “He has been 9they said) among the whites, who are great liars, and all he has learned is to come home and tell lies.” He sank rapidly into disgrace in the tribe. Two days’ revel of this kind had drawn from his keg all its charms; and in the mellowness of his heart, all his finery had vanished. In this plight, in this dress, he began, in his sober moments, to entertain and instruct his people, by honest and simple narratives of things and scenes he had beheld during his tour to the East; he was denominated a medicine-man, and one, too, of the most extraordinary character. So great was his medicine, however, that they began, chiefs and all, to look upon him as a most extraordinary being. In short, when all became familiar with the astonishing representations that he made, and with the wonderful alacrity with which “he created them,” he was denominated the very greatest of medicine, and not only that, but the “lying medicine.” That he should be the greatest of medicine, and that for lying, merely, rendered him a prodigy in mysteries that commanded not only respect, but at length, admiration, awe, and at last dread and terror. In this way, the poor fellow had lived, and been for three years past continually relating the scenes he had beheld in his tour to the “Far East,” until his medicine became so alarmingly great, that they were unwilling he should live: they were disposed to kill him for a wizard. Thus ended the days and the greatness, and all the pride and hopes of Wi-Jun-Jon, the “Pigeon’s Egg Head,” a warrior and a brave of the valiant Assinneboins, who travelled eight thousand miles to see the President, and the great cities of the civilized world; and who, for telling the truth and nothing but the truth, was, after he got home, disgraced as a lair, and killed as an imposter."
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Category: Prints