Head of an American Indian

Most mid-19th-century artists relied on romantic, often inaccurate conceptions of Native Americans, yet some, including Henry Kirke Brown, traveled west hoping to attain firsthand knowledge of their subjects. In September and October 1848, Brown journeyed to Michigan—then the American frontier—to create models of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians in preparation for a sculpture commissioned by the American Art Union. The resulting miniature portrait bust reveals the artist’s careful attention to details of physiognomy and hair; the figure thus displays a sympathetic naturalism and commanding nobility of presence.