United States House of Representatives: History, Art, & Archives
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Buffalo Chase

Painting of two Native Americans on horseback hunting two buffalos. One hunter draws a bow and arrow aimed at a buffalo’s hind side while another holds a spear aimed at a buffalo’s head./tiles/collection/3/3725.xml
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Painting of two Native Americans on horseback hunting two buffalos. One hunter draws a bow and arrow aimed at a buffalo’s hind side while another holds a spear aimed at a buffalo’s head.
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Date

1868

Artist

Seth Eastman

Dimensions

24 × 31 1/4 in. (61 × 79.4 cm) Framed: 33 1/2 × 40 1/2 × 4 in. (85.1 × 102.9 × 10.2 cm)

Accession Number

2004.040.001

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

In 1867, artist and retired Army General Seth Eastman was commissioned to paint nine works illustrating aspects of traditional Native American life for the House Committee on Indian Affairs. Eastman focused on the customs of the Santee Dakota, with whom he became familiar during his service at Fort Snelling in Minnesota. While buffalo hunting was a commonly seen subject in 19th century art, Eastman’s signature attention to detail sets this work apart. Specific depiction of the pad saddles that many hunters preferred, for example, gives the work the aspect of truthfulness that was desired by the committee.

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Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov