Catlin (George, 1796-1872) La-wáh-he-coots-la-sháw-no, Brave Chief, a Skidi (Wolf) Pawnee, graphite on ivory laid paper with partial armorial watermark, inscribed 'By George Catlin' in the lower right corner, and further inscribed in pencil 'No. 110. Catalogue' in the lower edge, sheet 180 x 140 mm. (7 1/8 x 5 1/2 in), unframed, [circa 1852-1868]

Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist, circa 1840s or slightly later;
Captain William Henry Shippard;
Then by descent to the present owners

Literature:
cf. Catlin, George, 'A Descriptive Catalogue of Catlin's Indian Gallery', 1840, no. 110

⁂ A delicate drawing probably produced for a "Souvenir album". The portrait is after Catlin's painting of the Brave Chief now held in the Smithsonian Museum (see object no. 1985.66.110).

Catlin produced eleven souvenir albums between 1852 and 1868, which he began following his financial problems and the sale of his collection in 1852. Most of these albums are now held in public collections in America and the UK (see: British Museum, London; the Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California; the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, New York; and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, among others). The present drawing closely relates to the eight studies from the Duke of Portland Album Unique, which were sold through Christie's in 2001 (see 'Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture from the Forbes Collection', New York, 29^th November 2001, lot 114).