Dacotahs Mode of Sitting

Dacotahs Mode of Sitting shows front and back views of the same pose. This sepia drawing also documents the variety of imported cloth available to Native people. Communities participated in a dynamic exchange of goods with cultures far and wide, and cotton and wool became increasingly important as hides became scarce. This drawing is one of 35 works on paper by Seth Eastman in Mia’s collection. It was the basis for an illustration in Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s massive Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition, and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States (Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1851-57).