Spearing Fish, 1850
Seth Eastmanexpand_more
Watercolorexpand_more
Gift of the W. Duncan and Nivin MacMillan Foundationexpand_more 2014.31.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
Seth Eastman’s original title for this image was "Indians Killing Fish." Rather than a leisurely outing, this is a hunt, which is clear from this pair’s alert poses. The distant blue water indicates the Mississippi will be calm and cooperative on this particular morning, but Eastman added a note of foreboding. The bare roots clinging to the eroding bank is a motif found in 17th-century Dutch landscapes, where it alluded to the destructive passage of time.
This watercolor, one of 35 works on paper by Eastman in Mia’s collection, was the basis for an illustration in Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s massive "Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States" (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1851-57).
Details
- Title
- Spearing Fish
- Artist Life
- 1808–1875
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2014.31.2
- 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 7
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our 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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