Zf)C£orb Q0aftimorc(ptiee BALTIMORE, MD., U. SETH EASTMAN: MASTER PAINTER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN. The approximate date of the picture may be altered by the fact that only one epaulet is shown, worn on the left 87 In the course of these 20 years, Eastman made countless paintings and sketches of the Indians with whom he came in contact and scenes in Indian country, including the games, ceremonies, and activities witnessed in and about native villages and camps.
Numerous pencil sketches, remarkable in their own right, served the artist well in his later years. when they were reproduced in oil on canvas. Many details of their primitive way of life have been preserved, which fortunately were often the subject of the artist's sketches. A pencil drawing of the fort, an early example of the artist's work, is reproduced on Plate 2.
This town is a great market-place, where all the adjacent tribes, even those who raid the more distant branches of the Mississippi, annually assemble at the latter end of the Ma}', bringing with them their furs to dispose of traders. The tribes that visited the post were the Menominee, Winne-.bago, and Fox, then occupying the land east of the Mississippi, as well as .. some of the Siouan tribes from farther down the Mississippi. 34; While at Prairie du Chien, the killing of 26 monomonial men, women, and children, by a war party of Sacs and Foxes, which had occurred a few days before, was the subject of exciting interest.
The smoky atmosphere and rough grass prove that it was a scene observed late in the fall, and is reminiscent of Indian Summer, the most delightful season of the year in the northern valley.
NO. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSH NELL 5 man, who was to judge and umpire tlie play which was to take place
3 SETH EASTMAN BUSH NELL 5 man, who would judge and judge the game that was to be played. During these years he made many paintings and sketches of scenes in the vicinity of the Academy and many of the historical points along the banks of the Hudson. He had a painting in the 1848 exhibition which was described as "Indian Burial". There are no examples of Eastman's work at the Military Academy, although he did many paintings and sketches during the years he was stationed there as a drawing teacher.
AMONG THE SEMINOLES IN FLORIDA
General ^lajor, commander-in-chief, is pleased to announce to the army in Florida, the authorities of the Territory, and the citizens generally, that he has this day ceased the war with the Seminole Indians by an agreement entered into. with Chitto-Tustenuggee, the principal chief of the Seminoles, and successor of Arpeika, commonly called Sam Jones, brought to this post by Lieutenant-Colonel Harney, 2d Dragoons, from the southern parts of the peninsula. The report of peace was prematurely proved, and with treachery on the part of the Indians, tranquility was not restored for many months. But the document served to identify Sam Jones as the great Seminole chief Ghitto Tustenuggee, whose name often appears in reports and accounts connected with the war.
Fortunately, Captain Eastman visited the southern part of Florida and made, as was to be supposed, pencil-water-color sketches. One of the latter is a view of "Sam Jones' Village," which reveals a group of shelters, for the most part palmetto thatched roofs, supported by upright posts set into the grotto. A large wooden mortar and pestle is shown in the far lower right corner of the sketch, with a very large hose on the left.
The exact location is not known, but it was undoubtedly far south on the peninsula.
AT FORT SNELLING
8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8/
NO. 3 SETH EASTMAN— BUSHNELL 9 Such then was the Indian Country in the midst of which the artist
3 SETH EASTMAN—BUSHNELL 9 Such was then the Indian country, in the midst of which the artist. The Report of the Commissioner for Indian Affairs of November 2008. Ber 30, 1848, contains a brief reference to the removal of the Winnebago: "The experiment in the case of the Winnebagoes has also been successful; although their emigration from Iowa to their new land on the upper reaches of JNIississippi was attended with some delay and difficulties, caused, however, by the unauthorized interference of interested whites, and of a portion of the Sioux who were anxious to have them stop and remain in their country. The small band of armed Indians, who squats on the riverbank in the foreground appears to be operating together with the Americans.
As Eastman was then in command at Fort Snelling, he may have led the troops shown facing the Winnebago on "Wahbasha's Prairie." Later in the year Captain Eastman again visited "Wahbasha's Prairie" and made an interesting sketch of a group of temporary shelters, probably a camp of a small number of Indians. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSHNELL IInesota. al) Ude nine miles long and three miles wide, occulted by nesota. al) Out nine miles long and three miles wide, occulted by the chief Wapasha (or Red Leaf) and his band of Sioux, whose bark-lodges are seen at the upper end of the prairie."
The small watercolor shown in plate 8 is believed to have been made on the banks of the Linnesota River above Fort Snelling. There are also some beautiful pencil drawings made around this time, one of which is entitled: "Sioux Indians Playing the. recordtheuse of the spear, bow and arrow, and gun, in'the mounted hunters. Peters River, is much has been more abundant than normal, which can be explained by the fact that prairies further north were burned, driving these animals to seek their livelihoods further south.' This may have enabled Captain Eastman to have witnessed the hunting of the buft'alo by the Indians closer to Fort Snelling than before, and some of his sketches may have been made at this time.
As already noted, many of the pencil sketches that Eastman made during the years he was stationed at Fort Snelling were copied and revised after years of his return to Washington. The two images serve to illustrate a passage in one of the artist's wife's publications:'. They then rub the skin against a string stretched to a pair of poles until it has softened.
When the hide has been smoked from ten to twenty hours, it becomes of a dirty, yellowish color, and is ready for use." Although the previous reference refers to buffalo hide, it is assumed that all hides were tanned in the same way, and that the description would apply equally. applied well to deer skin. Buffalo skins prepared in this way served many purposes and were most important in the lives of the Indians, especially the plains tribes.
CAPTAIN EASTMAN AND THE AMERICAN ART UNION The American Art L'nion. known during the first five years of its
When there are white people near to whom they can rub, they try to get some soap to clean the skin; but if. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSHXELL I3Arts in the I'nited States," and the money derived from the dues Arts in the I'nited States," and the money derived from the dues paid by the memlx'rs were used to promote the works of American buy. . The American Art Union during its few years has undoubtedly done much to assist the young artists of the country, and the names of.
The name Seth Eastman first appeared in 1848, the last year he was stationed in the upper Mississippi Valley. That year the Art Union purchased six of his paintings, all Indian subjects, but unfortunately neither description nor dimensions are given in connection with the reference to the pictures which appeared in the Bulletin published by the Union that year. During the last war with Great Britain, he was captured by the English and kept in prison for several months, during which time helos this intellect.
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Alamo at San Antonio
NO. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSH NELL I 5
IX TEXAS
Indian Mode of Traveling
Spearing Fish in Winter
NO. 3 SETH EASTMAN BUSH NELL 1
