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Mourning for the Dead

image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art | Public Domain

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Date

1849

Artist

Seth Eastman (1808-1875)

Collection

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Description

This nocturnal scene reveals mourners tearing their clothes and cutting their hair in sympathy for a loved one. A couple of knives just catch the glint of fire light. The burial ground is likely Pilot Knob, overlooking the Minnesota River. The site captivated Seth Eastman and he painted it several times, but this scene may be the most emotional. The body of this loved one has been tied to a scaffold, safe from predators, and furnished with provisions. When the ground warms up, it may eventually be buried.
This watercolour, one of 35 works on paper by Eastman in Mia’s collection, 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).

Image Licence

Public Domain

Image Credit

image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art

Location

Fort Snelling State Park, Minnesota, USA

Country

Medium

Tags

Events
Landscapes
Rivers
Tombs

Category

People & Society

Glossary
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© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform

© 2024 Watercolour World | Technology by The Museum Platform