Anonymous American Photographer

quarter-plate daguerreotype, with hand-tinting and gilt-detail, with a modern seal, cased, 1850s

C. Wesley Cowan, Historic Americana Auction, 10 December 1995, Lot 13

Acquired from the above by a private collector

Acquired by the present owner from the above, 2003

The Daguerreian Society Newsletter, September/October 1995, Vol. 7, No. 5, p. 6

The Daguerreian Society Newsletter, January/February 1996, Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 6 

This unique and dramatic daguerreotype portrait is essentially in excellent condition. The image sets forth a great deal of detail, and much of Maungwudaus's regalia – his elaborate feathered headdress (with red-tinted tips), his bear-claw necklace, his medals, tomahawk, etc. – are rendered in clear detail. The subject may have moved slightly during the exposure, as his features are very slightly soft in focus – but this does not diminish the power and effectiveness of this evocative portrait. The handwork visible on the plate is as follows: the tips of the feathers on the subject's headdress are tinted a bright red; the bottom-most medallion on his breast is heightened with gilt. When it is examined closely in raking light, the plate's original horizontal buff marks are faintly visible. These are only visible upon close examination and do not detract from the considerable impact of this portrait. A very narrow line of tarnish is visible on the plate, following the outline of the brass mat. The plate was expertly resealed in 2005 with archival paper tape. Notes made at the time of the resealing, in pencil upon the tape, indicate that the plate's 4 corners are clipped, and that it has a Scovills hallmark. Remnants of the original seal are present in the case.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Maungwudaus, also known by the name George Henry, was one of the best-known and widely-traveled Native Americans of his day.  He and a group of his fellow tribesmen performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe in the 1840s.  Believed to have been born in 1811 in Ontario, Maungwudaus was a member of the Thames River band of the Ojibwa, or Chippewa, tribe.  As a young man he was baptized, taking his English name, intending to enter the Methodist ministry.  He worked as a government interpreter with the St. Clair Indians in the early 1840s.  Apparently seeing an opportunity to make a living as a performer, Maungwudaus assembled a troupe of fellow Ojibwas who performed dances and ceremonies for whites throughout the Great Lakes region and in New York City. 

He and this company departed for Europe in March 1845.  It is unclear who provided the initial financial backing for this venture, but once in Paris, Maungwudaus joined forces with American artist George Catlin, who had been acting at that time as an impresario for an Indian exhibit and various performances with a group of Iowa Indians.  After a number of the Iowas died from illness contracted on the continent, they left Catlin for America, leaving the artist in a precarious financial position.  The alliance with Maungwudaus's group eased the situation somewhat, although European audiences had become jaded to the sort of 'wild west' spectacles presented by the band.  Still, through Catlin, Maungwudaus performed for the European public and royalty alike, earning commendatory medals from France's King Louis-Philippe.  In Brussels, three members of the troupe died of smallpox.  After a period of quarantine, Catlin sent them back to London where yet another member died. Later, the troupe lost other members to smallpox, including Maungwudaus's wife, Hannah Henry, and several of his children.  Only five members of Maungwudaus's original company of eleven made the return trip to America in 1847.  An account of Maungwudaus's experiences in Europe was published in 1848 under the title An Account of the Chippewa Indians: Who have been Traveling Among the Whites, In the United States, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Belgium.

By all accounts a natural-born showman and a savvy businessman, Maungwudaus continued to tour North America after his return, presenting such attractions as 'Operations of a Scalping.'  An advertisement for an 1851 performance in Toronto read: 'FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY. MAUNGWUDAUS.  The celebrated traveler of the Chippewa, or Ojibway Indians.  Who has appeared before most of the Kings, Queens, Nobility, Religious Ministers and people of Europe for the last seven years; also the late president Zachary Taylor, and the Senators and Representatives of the United States in Washington City.'       

In this proud portrait, Maungwudaus seems to draw himself up to his full height.  The unconventional pose, in which he turns dramatically from the camera, demonstrates his gift for self-presentation.  The clothing and regalia that Maungwudaus wears in this daguerreotype very likely constituted his stage costume.  The elaborate feathered headdress and impressive bear-claw necklace were not typical accoutrements of the Great Lakes tribes; it is clear that Maungwudaus understood that both American and European audiences had expectations as to how Indians should look, and realized that the success of his performances hinged upon satisfying those expectations.  The medals that he displays so prominently on his breast in this daguerreotype may be those presented to him by King Louis-Philippe. 

Given Maungwudaus's celebrity and sophisticated understanding of the media of the day, it is perhaps not surprising that he was photographed on a number of occasions.  The George Eastman House owns a quarter-plate daguerreotype, reproduced by Newhall reproduced in his The Daguerreotype in America (pl. 37).  The Chicago Historical Society has in its collection a half-plate daguerreotype of Maungwudaus and his troupe in full performance regalia.  The National Archives of Canada has a half-plate portrait, originally sold by Sotheby's New York (21 October 1981, Lot 240).  The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art owns a half-plate originally from the collection of Lord Elgin, sold by Sotheby's London (7 May 1998, Lot 6).  Two other daguerreotypes are believed to be in private American collections.