KA-TA-WA-BE-DA Chippeway Chief: Hand-colored Lithograph McKenney & Hall 1841

Description

Up for auction at the Grand Antique Mall in Cincinnati, Ohio,  is a hand-colored lithograph of
Ka-Ta-Wa-Be-Da
,
A Chippeway Chief
. Circa 1841. Portrait painted by Charles Bird King.
Drawn printed & colored at J. T. Bowen in Philadelphia. Original page from
History of the Indian Tribes of North America
by Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall
.
Measures approximately 14.25" x 19.5".
Well preserved condition. Colors are bright. No marks, writing, tape, smudges,  rips or repairs. Some wrinkling if held in certain light. Palette of grey, green, white, brown, black, red. Compelling, detailed portrait of historical value.
The portraits in McKenney and Hall's publication are the only surviving record of prominent nineteenth century Native Americans.
Perfect for collectors.
Beneath
Ka-Ta-Wa-Be-Da
's
portrait are the words:
PUBLISHED BY J.T. BOWEN, PHILAD.
Drawn printed & coloured at J. T. Bowen's Lithographic Establishment, No94 Walnut Strt.
Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1841 by J. T. Bowen in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Penn.
Lithograph portrait is a hand tinted original from
History of the Indian Tribes of North America,
by Thomas L. McKenney
(1785-1859)
and James Hall
(1793-1868).
Three volumes were published in 1837, 1842, 1844. The book's portraits  became even more significant in 1865, when almost all of the  original tribe portraits, commissioned by McKenney and painted by Charles Bird King (1785-1862), were destroyed  in a fire at the Smithsonian.
It was Thomas McKenney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1816-1830, who saw the opportunity to create an accurate visual record of  a disappearing culture. When a large delegation of Indians met with President Monroe in 1821,  McKenney commissioned Charles Bird King to paint portraits of the most important delegates.  Later,  in 1830, McKenney was given permission to hire Henry Inman to copy the so-called "Indian Gallery" of portraits; this was an expensive and time consuming --  but the only way to create lithographs for his
History of the Indian Tribes of North America
book-in-progress. Because of McKenney, the tribal portraits live on today.
The historic portrait in such good condition is highly collectible. As a wedding, Father's Day, or graduation present, the portrait of Chief
Ka-Ta-Wa-Be-Da
is a gift that will be cherished for generations.
Please note that over the next month, we will be listing more important 19th century Native American portraits including
MA-HAS-KAH,  RED JACKET,  NO-TIN,  JAC-O-PA,  PEAH-MAS-KA,  LAP-PA-WIN-SOE,  MON-KA-USH-KA,  WA-NA-TA,  ONG-PA-TON-GA
(framed),
PADDY CARR
(framed),
and
KEE-SHE-WA
(framed).
Thank you for looking!