The Scalp Dance

The Scalp Dance by George Catlin is a lithograph from his influential North American Indian Portfolio, a body of work documenting Indigenous cultures across the American West in the 19th century. Catlin was among the first American artists to travel extensively among Indigenous tribes, aiming to record their customs, ceremonies, and daily life through art. 

This print depicts a ceremonial dance associated with the presentation and celebration of scalps taken in battle, an important ritual among some Plains tribes that expressed martial success and cultural identity. Catlin’s detailed representation presents multiple figures engaged in the event, combining observational accuracy with narrative immediacy. The work offers both historical insight and artistic portrayal of Indigenous ceremonies at a time of significant cultural change. 

Artwork details

Artist: George Catlin

Title: The Scalp Dance

Date: mid‑19th century (lithograph published circa 1840s)

Style: American Realism, Ethnographic Printmaking

Medium: Originally lithograph (often hand‑colored in portfolio editions)

Subject: Native American ceremonial dance scene

Features: Group figures, ceremonial movement, cultural depiction

Dimensions: 28x43  cm / 11x17″