Minnehaha
1871
French artist Émile Vernet-Lecomte brings Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous epic poem 'The Song of Hiawatha' to life in this striking 1871 portrait. He depicts Minnehaha, the beloved of the Native American hero Hiawatha, standing tall with a wooden staff and wearing a beautifully patterned, fringed skirt. While the French painter likely never traveled to the American frontier, his polished academic style captures a romanticized, dramatic vision of the 'exotic' other that absolutely fascinated European audiences of the time.
- Technique
- Oil painting
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