Chromolithograph of William Penn's treaty w/ Native Americans in 1661, "the only treaty that was never broken," w/ Indian's tents and dense forest on one side and a town, open woods, ships and male colonists on other. Colonists offering trade cloth to Native Americans. Canvas backing.
chromolithographs
canvas
ink
paper (fiber product)
printing (process)
commemoratives
figure- and animal-derived motifs
men (male humans)
Native American
ships
trees
Unidentified Paper
Ink
Coated Canvas
Transfer Printed
Men
Native American
Tree
Ship
Commemorative
PICTURE, HISTORIC
This chromolithograph depicts the treaty between William Penn and Lenni-Lenape that founded the Colony of Pennsylvania in 1682. This treaty would be known as the only treaty that was never broken. The image shows Indigenous peoples and Quakers trading goods upon the banks of a shore. The piece was created by James Baillie of New York ca.1840-1870 and is made of ink on paper and is backed by canvas.
This print was probably acquired by Richard Tucker during his trip to Europe in 1857. It was typical for American bachelors on their Grand Tour to acquire prints and other souvenirs to represent their learnedness and culture. The subject matter of the print may have mattered less to Tucker than the overall goal of having historic prints displayed in his home. The print later made its way to Castle Tucker after Richard Tucker and his new wife Mollie Armstrong moved there in 1858. The print is no longer on view at the house, presumably removed (along with other items) when Jane Standish Tucker began restoring the house in the 1960s in preparation for opening it for visitors. Jane Tucker may have removed it due to its condition or because she preferred another print in its place.
This treaty was signed between two groups of people who valued connections and business interactions with one another. Quakers were a Christian sect that self-identified as The Society of Friends. This group valued friendship and goodwill, freedom of religion, the right to a fair and unbiased trial, and freedom from unjust imprisonment. The colony they founded called "Pennsylvania" after its Quaker leader, William Penn would be noted for its variety of
religious beliefs and forms of worship. These ideas were early forms of pluralism. Toleration was actively encouraged, and increasing value for individual liberties combined well with local Indigenous tribes, like the Lenni-Lenape.
The land, later called Pennsylvania, was designated by Charles II as property for persecuted Quakers. William Penn, though, believed that Quakers could build a true and right society constructed on the pillars of pure devotion.
The Lenni-Lenape society was a sea-based and lived alongside the Iroquois, Susquehannock, and Shawnee tribes. The group welcomed the Englishmen to their towns; they dined together, built houses together, and hunted together. The Lenni-Lenape community was key to the success of Pennsylvania's early colonists, yet the Lenni-Lenape did not know that William Penn felt he was a savior to the natives. While the treaty between the groups designated what
land and belonged to which people, and established trading agreements that were considerably fair, William Penn's son would have no intention of carrying-out the treaty's wishes nor his father's wishes.
When he succeeded his father as Quaker and Pennsylvanian leader, Thomas Penn, reinterpreted one of his father's 1686 treaties with the Lenni-Lenape. This new agreement would be called the Walking Purchase of 1737; this was a plot to trick the Lenni-Lenape into selling off nearly one million acres of their sacred land, completely disregarding the land boundaries put in place decades prior.
The imagery in the chromolithograph shows a fictionalized scene. On the left we see a colorful array of Indigenous figures standing opposite the subdued black and white color palette of the Quakers. The groups are portrayed engaging in trade. As with many historically inspired images, especially those of Indigenous people, there are many inaccuracies encompassed within this print. The garments worn by the Lenni-Lenape are historically inaccurate. The Lenni-Lenape people wore clothes much duller than the vibrant primary colors included in the image. The Lenni-Lenape's headdresses would have been significantly smaller than shown and would have been made with turkey feathers. Deerskin was the principal material used to make clothing along with shell and bones which adorned belts. The bright fabrics that cover the Indigenous figures may suggest that the artist was unaware of proper Lenni-Lenape dress. However, the figures of the Lenni-Lenape in this print recall those of a generalized Indigenous people, literally and figuratively painting them with bright colors to emphasize their difference.
Printed below image: ""Published by James Baillie 87th St Near 3rd Avenue N.Y.""
Penn, William
Original to Castle Tucker (Wiscasset, Me.),
Baillie, James (Maker)
New York, NY, USA
11.875 x 17 (HxW) (inches)
Gift of Miss Jane S. Tucker
1998.5031
New York state (United States)
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