Lewis - Pair of Native American Lithographs

Lewis - Pair of Native American Lithographs
Included in this lot:

A Miami Chief
Kee-O-Tuck-Kee, A Pottowattomie Chief


Description of the work:

This originally hand-colored lithograph is from rarest collection of Indian plates, James Otto Lewis’s Aboriginal Portfolio. It was the first collection of portraits of North American Indians preceding both Catlin and McKenney & Hall’s works. Lehman & Duval published the Portfolio in Philadelphia between 1835 and 1836.

Lewis’s work was also the first large work to deal with a subject beyond the East Coast and also one of the earliest American lithography projects. Lewis painted Indians on his travels with Michigan Governor Lewis Cass. They went on four Indian treaty expeditions in the Great Lakes regions. Unfortunately, like McKenney & Hall's work, Lewis's original paintings were destroyed in the Smithsonian fire of 1865.


Paper Size: ~ 13 1/2" by 10"

The work is in good to very good condition overall. There is some toning mostly outside the image from perhaps from tissue placement when bound. There is some wear, chipping, or minor closed tears at the edges as well as a few light marks or fox marks. There may be a few minor imperfections to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.
~ 13 1/2" by 10"