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The Chief of the Little Osages

Pavel Petrovich Svinin

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Chief of the Little Osages by Pavel Petrovich Svinin: A Native American man with a shaved head, sporting a distinctive mohawk-like hairstyle on top, with a long, thin strip of hair running down the center; his face features intricate tattoos or scars on the forehead and cheeks; he wears a large earring in his left ear, adorned with long, dangling pieces; his attire consists of a gray garment with a colorful collar, showcasing red, white, and blue stripes; the background is a muted, gradient-like depiction of earthy tones, with darker shades towards the bottom and lighter towards the top.

Artwork Details

Date
1811–ca. 1813
Medium
Watercolor and black chalk on off-white wove paper
Culture
American
Dimensions
483 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette