Tah-Chee (Dutch), A Cherokee Chief
1837
Think of Charles Bird King as the 19th-century equivalent of a White House photographer, but for Native American leaders visiting Washington D.C. In this portrait, Cherokee chief Tah-Chee (also called 'Dutch') rocks a bold red headwrap with a massive feather plume and a flashy striped sash. It's a fascinating mix of traditional and European fashion. Tragically, a fire at the Smithsonian in 1865 burned most of King's original oil paintings, so hand-colored prints like this are rare survivors that document Cherokee history just before the Trail of Tears.
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