Penn’s Treaty with the Indians
circa 1830
Edward Hicks, a Quaker preacher best known for his 'Peaceable Kingdom' paintings, captures the legendary meeting between William Penn and the Lenape tribe with a charming, storybook quality. You can see the 'Treaty of Pennsylvania' scroll being held by men in tricorn hats, while others kneel to exchange goods like colorful blankets from a chest. Hicks painted this scene multiple times to celebrate the Quaker ideal of peace, creating a visual history that prioritizes harmony over realistic perspective. It's a delightful example of American folk art where the stiff European fashion contrasts with the relaxed posture of the Native Americans under the large elm tree.
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