PEE-CHE-KIR, A CHIPPEWA CHIEF., from History of the Indian Tribes of North America

Art Historical Context

Behold *Pee-Che-Kir, A Chippewa*, a striking hand-colored lithographic print from the renowned series *History of the Indian of North America* (1836–1844), by Thomas L. McKenney and Hall. Created around 1843 and now housed in the Smithsonian American Art, this portrait captures the dignified presence of Pee-Che-Kir, a leader of the Chippewa (Ojibwe) people. McKenney, former Superintendent of Indian Trade, commissioned original oil paintings by artist Charles Bird King from Native delegates visiting Washington, D.C., which were then lithographed to reach a wider audience. These prints hold imm...