Piegan Blackfeet Man

Description

Plains warriors frequently wore shirts or robes painted with symbols of their war exploits, such as wounds received or given or numbers of captured enemies and weaponry. The figures on the elk hide worn by this unidentified Piegan man suggest that he had been very successful in battle. Blood flows copiously from wounded adversaries. Dozens of horseshoes represent animals stolen, along with numerous bows, guns, and war hatchets. In addition to the robe, the man wears his rifle sheath wrapped turban-style around his head. He carries a ramrod and a long-stemmed pipe with a bowl of typical Blackfeet shape. sketched at Fort McKenzie on August 31, this was one of several figures later incorporated into Tableau 43, a vivid depiction of a Blackfeet camp outside the fort.

Original German Title

None

Medium

watercolor and pencil on paper

Dimensions

12 3/8 x 10

Call No.

JAM.1986.49.290

Approximate Date of Creation

31st August 1833