Post by Larry Koschkee on Dec 15, 2002 17:20:46 GMT -5
While visiting Cliff and Michele Krainik's Black Hawk War exhibit in Mineral Point, Wi early last fall I wondered what painting I have observed in past years most accurately portrays Black Hawk?
Some of the paintings refered to are:
Charles Bird King's oil portrait from life in the Warner Collection of the Gulf States Paper Corp, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
George Catlin's oil painted from life during Black Hawk's eastern tour. At the National Portrait Gallery Smithsonian Institution
Robert Matthew Sully's commissioned 1833 painting or his second portrait given to Lyman Draper of the State Historical society of Wisconsin
James Otto Lewis painting from life at Detroit in 1833. I refer to the lithograph from the painting published as part of the artist's Aboriginal Porfolio.
There is another likeness in the Smithsonian which is on the front cover of Crawford Thayer's book "Hunting a Shawdow". The painter's name escapes me at this time.
As many of you know a plaster cast of Black Hawk's face and head was made after his eastern trip of 1833 to be used in a phrenology study that was later published in the "American Phrenologicl Journal, November, 1838. In that paper a front and left side of the head drawing was made... In my opinion the painting of George Catlin most closely resembles the plaster cast drawings.
Unfortunately I don't have any of the pictures to post with this thread to help in comparison... Perhaps some board members could post pictures or offer opinions.
Regards,
Larry Koschkee
Some of the paintings refered to are:
Charles Bird King's oil portrait from life in the Warner Collection of the Gulf States Paper Corp, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
George Catlin's oil painted from life during Black Hawk's eastern tour. At the National Portrait Gallery Smithsonian Institution
Robert Matthew Sully's commissioned 1833 painting or his second portrait given to Lyman Draper of the State Historical society of Wisconsin
James Otto Lewis painting from life at Detroit in 1833. I refer to the lithograph from the painting published as part of the artist's Aboriginal Porfolio.
There is another likeness in the Smithsonian which is on the front cover of Crawford Thayer's book "Hunting a Shawdow". The painter's name escapes me at this time.
As many of you know a plaster cast of Black Hawk's face and head was made after his eastern trip of 1833 to be used in a phrenology study that was later published in the "American Phrenologicl Journal, November, 1838. In that paper a front and left side of the head drawing was made... In my opinion the painting of George Catlin most closely resembles the plaster cast drawings.
Unfortunately I don't have any of the pictures to post with this thread to help in comparison... Perhaps some board members could post pictures or offer opinions.
Regards,
Larry Koschkee
