1903 Charles Schreyvogel Lithograph of Custer's Demand, Sheridan's Indian Campaign

A striking signed and inscribed example of the artist's lithograph edition Charles Schreyvogel's most famous painting Custer's Demand. This painting established Schreyvogel as one of the great artists of the American West and inspired a lifelong feud with jealous competitor and Western painting icon Frederic Remington.

Custer's Demand

Considered Charles Schreyvogel's greatest work, Custer's Demand was completed in 1903. The painting captures a dramatic historical moment involving General George Armstrong Custer during Sheridan's Indian Campaign (1868 - 1869). The scene depicts Custer confronting Native American leaders on a windswept wintery plain, demanding their surrender and return to Oklahoma. Schreyvogel, known for his dedication to historical accuracy, meticulously researched details for the painting, including the attire, weaponry, and setting of both Native Americans and U.S. soldiers. His work was praised for its dynamic portrayal of the tense standoff. The painting debuted at New York Knoedler's Galleries, where it was an immediate success, earning high praise from critics and an article in the New York Herald.  The work established Schreyvogel as an icon of Western painting. This example is signed and inscribed by the artist in pen, but the name of the dedicatee is indecipherable.

Feud with Frederic Remington

The painting stirred controversy, particularly with famed Western artist Frederic Remington, who criticized Schreyvogel's attention to minute historical details - the size of Custer's horse, the type of stirrup cups, the color of Custer's pants, and other details. Remington's critique led to a public debate, with prominent figures like President Theodore Roosevelt and Custer's widow defending Schreyvogel asserting that Remington's objections were petty, incorrect, and misplaced. It is likely that Remington's criticism of Schreyvogel was based on jealousy (Remington himself always wanted to paint Custer), anti-immigrant racism (Schreyvogel was a German immigrant), and annoyance at having a competitor in a field he dominated. Of Remington's criticism, President Roosevelt told Schreyvogel, 'What a fool my friend Remington made of himself, in his newspaper attack, he made a perfect jack of himself, to try to bring such small things out, and he was wrong anyway.' For his part, Schreyvogel responded with his characteristic gentility, saying of Remington only, 'He is the greatest.'

Sheridan’s Indian Campaign

Sheridan's Indian Campaign (1868 - 1869) was a military effort led by General Philip Sheridan in the southern plains of the United States, primarily targeting the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes. The campaign was part of the U.S. government's strategy to confine Native American tribes to reservations following increased tensions over control of the Great Plains. This campaign, also known as the Winter Campaign, strategically took place during winter when the tribes were more vulnerable due to the scarcity of resources, making it difficult for them to escape or survive in harsh conditions. One of the most notable events was the 1868 Battle of Washita River, where Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839 - 1876) attacked a Cheyenne village led by Chief Black Kettle (1803 - 1868), resulting in the deaths of many Native Americans, including Black Kettle, and the destruction of their supplies and lodges. Sheridan's approach was brutal but effective in weakening the tribes' resistance, eventually forcing them onto reservations and opening up the land for American settlers. This campaign is remembered for its role in the U.S. Army's aggressive tactics to achieve control over the Plains and the controversial methods used, which had lasting impacts on the Native American populations involved.

Publication History and Census

This view is a photomechanical lithograph based on the original painting - likely printed and presented by Knoedler along with the original painting in 1903, although the only copyright is that of Schreyvogel. Examples are scarce.  We see one at the Bancroft Library.