Rachel
As the British came to the New World to settle and begin new lives they encountered Native Americans; in most cases the colonists treated them harshly as their perception of the natives revolved around barbarism. This notion of primitiveness in the native people stayed consistent for most of the 16th century; but during the 17th century, the colonists expanded their realm of thought and began to recognize the Native Americans as much more than simple savages.
One of the greatest leaps in American views occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries, where the iconography of Native Americans transformed drastically. From previous thoughts of brutality and violence, American Indians instead emerged as the “embodiment of the nation” (Pohl). The most popular portrayal of this new image appeared in the guise of an “Indian Queen”. Often semi-naked and classically depicted, the Indian Queen made her debut on The Diplomatic Medal. Commissioned by President Washington and designed by Augustin Dupré, this bronze medal “was awarded to two individuals, the Marquis de La Luzerne and the Count de Moustier” (Pohl). The figures on the medal can be identified as “Mercury, the winged messenger representing Europe (the Old World), greeting the female personification of the United States, wearing a feathered headdress and skirt (the New World)” (Pohl). Surrounded by packages and produce, the image conveys the agreement between the Old and New World that “in exchange for manufactured foods from Europe, the United States would provide food and raw materials” (Pohl). As if this was not obvious enough, an anchor sits in the foreground, alluding to the foreign ships almost out of sight. The positions of the figures express equality between the two nations as the Indian Queen and “Mercury are depicted within a horizontal composition as mutually interdependent. Both are shown with heads in profile and frontal torsos, approximately the same size and on the same level, and ‘dignified’ by classical referents” (Pohl).
As the female image of the New World became increasingly more common, her appearance seemed to change in parallel to the fluctuating ways of thought. However, this new Indian Queen appeared to be “more decidedly European than Native American” (Pohl), a peculiar alteration in consideration of the recent American independence. Entitled America, this anonymous engraving features Grecian components, such as her simple gown and distinctively European facial features. During the early 19th century, American attempt to relive the ancient Greek world reflected strongly in their art, spanning throughout architecture, sculpture, paintings and even clothing design. The new Indian Queen’s “association with Native peoples in present in two ways: the ostrich feathers attached to her headband, which function … as souvenirs of her Indian past, and, more importantly, the dark-skinned childlike figure of indeterminate gender beside her” (Pohl). The shift that occurred in the iconography of Native Americans directly reflects the “enforced dependency of Native peoples on the federal government during the 19th century” (Pohl). The placement of the child is evident enough of this radical development for the Indian Americans. Placed nearly in the corner of the engraving, the child is shrouded by the shield emblazoned with an eagled and a medallion, representational of the United States of America; while the child’s gender is indeterminable, its race hovers between American Indian and African American, an accurate portrayal of the lack of independence by both minorities. “The relationship articulated in the engraving … is one of subservience, not equality” (Pohl).
Works Cited
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Images Cited
"Art History Midterm." StudyBlue. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/art-history-midterm/deck/3918739>.
"The Invention of Numismatic Iconography." Capping Liberty. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/capping-liberty/item/3022>.
As the British came to the New World to settle and begin new lives they encountered Native Americans; in most cases the colonists treated them harshly as their perception of the natives revolved around barbarism. This notion of primitiveness in the native people stayed consistent for most of the 16th century; but during the 17th century, the colonists expanded their realm of thought and began to recognize the Native Americans as much more than simple savages.
One of the greatest leaps in American views occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries, where the iconography of Native Americans transformed drastically. From previous thoughts of brutality and violence, American Indians instead emerged as the “embodiment of the nation” (Pohl). The most popular portrayal of this new image appeared in the guise of an “Indian Queen”. Often semi-naked and classically depicted, the Indian Queen made her debut on The Diplomatic Medal. Commissioned by President Washington and designed by Augustin Dupré, this bronze medal “was awarded to two individuals, the Marquis de La Luzerne and the Count de Moustier” (Pohl). The figures on the medal can be identified as “Mercury, the winged messenger representing Europe (the Old World), greeting the female personification of the United States, wearing a feathered headdress and skirt (the New World)” (Pohl). Surrounded by packages and produce, the image conveys the agreement between the Old and New World that “in exchange for manufactured foods from Europe, the United States would provide food and raw materials” (Pohl). As if this was not obvious enough, an anchor sits in the foreground, alluding to the foreign ships almost out of sight. The positions of the figures express equality between the two nations as the Indian Queen and “Mercury are depicted within a horizontal composition as mutually interdependent. Both are shown with heads in profile and frontal torsos, approximately the same size and on the same level, and ‘dignified’ by classical referents” (Pohl).
As the female image of the New World became increasingly more common, her appearance seemed to change in parallel to the fluctuating ways of thought. However, this new Indian Queen appeared to be “more decidedly European than Native American” (Pohl), a peculiar alteration in consideration of the recent American independence. Entitled America, this anonymous engraving features Grecian components, such as her simple gown and distinctively European facial features. During the early 19th century, American attempt to relive the ancient Greek world reflected strongly in their art, spanning throughout architecture, sculpture, paintings and even clothing design. The new Indian Queen’s “association with Native peoples in present in two ways: the ostrich feathers attached to her headband, which function … as souvenirs of her Indian past, and, more importantly, the dark-skinned childlike figure of indeterminate gender beside her” (Pohl). The shift that occurred in the iconography of Native Americans directly reflects the “enforced dependency of Native peoples on the federal government during the 19th century” (Pohl). The placement of the child is evident enough of this radical development for the Indian Americans. Placed nearly in the corner of the engraving, the child is shrouded by the shield emblazoned with an eagled and a medallion, representational of the United States of America; while the child’s gender is indeterminable, its race hovers between American Indian and African American, an accurate portrayal of the lack of independence by both minorities. “The relationship articulated in the engraving … is one of subservience, not equality” (Pohl).
Works Cited
Pohl, Frances K. Framing America: A Social History of American Art. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Images Cited
"Art History Midterm." StudyBlue. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/art-history-midterm/deck/3918739>.
"The Invention of Numismatic Iconography." Capping Liberty. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://rbsc.princeton.edu/capping-liberty/item/3022>.