John Buxton, known for the painstaking research he puts into
his historical paintings, has left something to the viewer’s
imagination in Kinsman to the Shawnee. What are the two men discussing
and what is the native girl with flint corn and a grinding stone
thinking?
We do know that 18th century French Canadian traders often married
native women and adopted the ways of their people to enable closer
ties for better trade and protection. These Canadians adopted
native dress and often tattooed themselves as well, but it was
said – not about the face. If you look closely, you’ll
see the native man on the right has facial markings and the mark
of a medicine wheel on his hand. The Canadian, dressed in a French
touque (or tuque), is tattooed with a Jesuit symbol. |