Young Omaha, War Eagle, Little Missouri, and Pawnees. 182l. by Charles Bird King
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Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 120 Paintings of the Great American West. |
"These Plains Indian Chiefs were among many Indians who traveled to Washington to meet with the president to negotiate their territorial rights with the government. At the White House, the Capital, and in private homes, policymakers employed bribery, dazzle (wonder what the dazzle was), and intimidation to win the cooperation of these men. Charles Bird King painted these portraits in his studio, creating a gallery of allies in the governments plan to settle the Indian question peacefully."
War Eagle is wearing a presidential peace medal, valued by the Native Americans as a sign of status and worn on all formal occasions. But note the war ax, the face paint, and feathers, depicting the Indians as savages which underlined the impression of them as savages.
One Englishman who viewed the exhibit, saw them this way, "men of large stature, very muscular, having fine open countenances, the the real Roman nose, dignified in their manners, and peaceful and quiet in their habits."
( James Monroe was president, during 1821, so I assume his face is on the medal that War Eagle is wearing, hard to tell though) James Monroe felt that the Indians could be assimilated to become agricultural peoples.
(material for this blog was from the Smithsonian American Art Site, although Wikipedia has similar comments) http:/americanart.si.edu/collections
The descriptions for Indians being "savages" and then "peaceful and quiet in their habits" is a bit confusing for me. I guess it's intuitive that like any other territorial beings, they became savages when their existence was threatened. But naturally, they are the latter.
ReplyDeleteThe problem was two very different cultures clashing against one another. There was cruelty and savagery on both sides.
DeleteThat's a very striking painting. Those poor Native Americans.....so duped and lied to, and then branded as savages when they pushed back. All I can say is, Custer had it coming.
ReplyDeleteThe above comment rings true. I am debating about discussing scalping, which did occur on both sides. And yes there is a painting about it. Hmmm.
DeleteHi Nat - it's a pity James Monroe didn't get his way and allow them to be assimilated in to life, their way of life .. but I guess that would be difficult, particularly then.
ReplyDeleteIncredible piece of art .. with the symbols too ..
I find it interesting how far people travelled to learn their craft and crossing the Atlantic to train in London was considered as something totally feasible ...
Cheers Hilary
Public opinion plus politics was against him. London was the place. Didn't those voyages take two weeks or more?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful portrait, regardless of its purpose. I answered your question at my blog with two links. Do check them out. You posed an interesting subject and as a result, I learned something new! I searched for Apache dance in 1920s Paris and found the information. I've always had an interest in the American Indian and the First Nations peoples in Canada. But I had never heard of this dance before! BTW, the first painting I ever sold was a portrait of an Indian brave while still an art student at UGA. (I researched the Apaches and the Sioux tribes.)
ReplyDeleteI agree, a beautiful portrait, regardless of its purpose, the composition, and I think a sympathetic view. Do you still have the painting?
DeleteI love this painting with the proud faces. At least he didn't really make them look like savages. It still horrifies me they way they were treated.
ReplyDeleteThe faces are strong, wonderful artist I think. And if I am ever in Washington, D.C. I understand this painting hangs in the Smithsonian, I will try and see it.
ReplyDelete