"Chippeway Squaw & Child" (An Ojibwa Mother and her Child)

One of the most significant 19th century American publications was the History of the Indian Tribes of North America.  The work was compiled by Thomas McKenney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs under four consecutive presidents.  During his tenure, McKenney developed a keen interest in the customs, habits and beliefs of the North America Indian.  While tribal delegations visited Washington to make treaty with the "White Chief," McKenney decided to memorialize each visitor with a portrait. These portraits were painted by Charles Bird King, the popular high society Washington portrait artist.  The paintings hung in the Smithsonian for a period of 40 years until tragically they were lost in the Smithsonian fire of 1865.  Fortunately for us, McKenney had teamed up with James Hall, a frontier lawyer and author, and together they published a two volume work containing lithographed illustrations with descriptive text of each painting.  Today, these lithographed portraits serve as our only remaining record of the event.
McKenney and Hall's book included portraits of all types of Indian from noble warriors and imposing statesmen, to the most downtrodden tribesmen and exploited chiefs.  As the accompanying text explains mothers would carry their babies on their backs. A deerskin strap would wrap around the mothers forehead and the cradle would hang on her back leaving her arms free.  The wooden cradle was lined with moss to cushion the baby who was swaddled in a blanket.  With his arms and legs protected mother could go about her daily duties of chopping wood or tending the fire.

10 x 6 3/4 inches sheet, octavo edition with accompanying text.
Lithograph with full original color, slight mat stain outside image, otherwise clean impression.