Antique George Catlin Engraving — Tuch-ee Cherokee War Chief, Hand-Colored, c. 1845 | Rare Continental Edition
A rare original hand-colored engraving depicting Tuch-ee, a celebrated Cherokee war chief, after the work of American artist George Catlin — one of the most sought-after names in 19th-century Native American portraiture.
This print originates from Natural History of Man by James Cowles Prichard, a landmark ethnographic publication of the 1840s. The French titling — "Tuch-ee, Chef de Guerre Cherokee" — confirms this as a scarce Continental edition, making it rarer and more desirable than the standard English printings typically found on the market.
Catlin spent years living among Native American tribes across North America, producing the first large-scale visual record of Indigenous peoples. Prints after his work were produced for European collectors hungry for firsthand documentation of the American West — each one a piece of 19th-century cultural and art history.
The composition captures Tuch-ee in traditional attire and feathered headdress, rendered with fine linework and delicate hand-applied color. The sitter's gaze is direct and composed — a portrait as dignified as any produced in a European salon of the same era.
Presented unframed, in its original antique state. Natural age toning, minor foxing, and edge wear are consistent with period paper and only add to the piece's authenticity. No major tears or losses.
- Artist
- After George Catlin; engraved by J. Harris (attributed)
- Date
- Circa 1845
- Origin
- Continental edition (France / England)
- Medium
- Hand-colored engraving on paper
- Dimensions
- 5.25" W × 8.5" T
- Condition
- Good antique condition — age toning, minor foxing, edge wear; unframed; no major tears
- Edition
- From Natural History of Man, J.C. Prichard, 1840s
Dimensions:
5.25" Wide
8.5" Tall
