In the 1880s, a group of eleven artists was hired by the Federal Government to illustrate the Eleventh Census of 1890. Their work ultimately accompanied a very lengthy text in the publication, Report on Indians Taxed and Indians Not Taxed. This document has been described as "one of the most exhaustive sources of information on the American Indian ever published." Sitting Bull was among the major figures depicted and Gaul was the last artist to paint this well known Native American from life.