Black Knife, an Apache Warrior
John Mix Stanley
1846
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Misses Henry
Accession Number
1985.66.248,933
Tags
ApacheLandscapeequestrian portrait
About this artwork
Black Knife, also known as Baishan, or by his Spanish name, Cuchillo Negro, was a celebrated Apache chief. His raids on Mexico made him a nominal ally of U.S. army battalions sent to the area following the outbreak of the Mexican War (1846--48). The Apache sought to protect their ancestral lands, which had become disputed territories between Mexico and the United States.