A Young Miami Chief, from The Aboriginal Portfolio

Art Historical Context

**A Young Miami Chief, from *The Aboriginal Portfolio*** Created by James Otto Lewis in1835, this striking lithographic print captures the dignified portrait of a Miami tribal leader amid a pivotal era of American history. Lewis, an early 19th-century artist and draftsman, sketched Native American figures during intertribal treaty councils in the 1820s and 183s, particularly in the Great Lakes region. Published as part of *The Aboriginal*—one of the first books dedicated to authentic Native American portraits—this work preserves the likeness and regalia of Miami people, whose lands in present-day Indiana and Ohio were under intense pressure from U.S. expansion. The print's medium, graphic arts lithography, was revolutionary for its time, allowing detailed reproductions of Lewis's on-site drawings to reach a wide audience. This technique highlighted facial expressions, traditional attire like feathered headdresses and ornaments, emphasizing cultural identity and nobility. As a Miami chief, the subject embodies resilience during the era of Indian removal policies, offering a rare, firsthand visual record before many tribes were displaced westward. Today, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum through a generous gift from H. Lyman Sayen, this piece invites visitors to reflect on Native American sovereignty and the artistic drive to document vanishing traditions. It's a poignant window into a chief's world, blending ethnography with artistry. (198 words)