Indian Medas Secretly Showing the Contents of their Medicine Sacks to Each Other, 1849-1855
Seth Eastmanexpand_more
Watercolorexpand_more
Gift of the W. Duncan and Nivin MacMillan Foundationexpand_more 2014.31.32
Not on Viewexpand_more
U.S. Army Captain Seth Eastman was a trained artist who served twice on the frontier at Minnesota’s Fort Snelling, from 1830 to 1832 and again from 1841 to 1848. His extensive firsthand, peaceful encounters with Native Americans gave him extraordinary opportunities to observe their customs and practices, which he documented in his art. He became known as the “pictorial historian of the Indian.”
This watercolor belongs to a series that he made between 1849 and 1855 to illustrate Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s massive survey, "Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States" (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1851-57). Mia’s 35 watercolors and drawings for the project represent an astounding array of subjects: muskrat hunting, fish spearing, pest control, rice gathering, maple sugaring, shelter, travel, medicine, mourning, dancing, civics, and topography. With such variety and Eastman’s well-informed clarity of depiction, they constitute an unparalleled visual account of native ways in our region.
Details
- Title
- Indian Medas Secretly Showing the Contents of their Medicine Sacks to Each Other
- Artist Life
- 1808–1875
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2014.31.32
- Provenance
- James J. Hill (St. Paul, 1838-1916); his estate; James Jerome Hill Reference Library St. Paul (by 1921-1994; sold October, to MacMillan); W. Duncan MacMillan, Wayzata (1994-d. 2006); the W. Duncan and Nivin MacMillan Foundation (2006-2014; given to MIA)
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Seth Eastman: A Portfolio of North American Indians 28
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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