The Natural Face of North America

The Maximilian-Bodmer Expedition 1832-1834

The Natural Face of North America

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Home » Images » Devil’s Island on the Mississippi

Devil’s Island on the Mississippi

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Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Devil's Island on the Mississippi

Date

March 18, 1833

Dimensions

4 1/8 × 6 3/8 in. (10.5 × 16.2 cm)

Medium

Graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.116

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

At Mount Vernon the travelers embarked on an Ohio steamer on the morning of March 18. The ensuing voyage downriver was rapid. Maximilian reported the sighting of Devil's Island on the Mississippi above the mouth of the Ohio near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, late on March 20 and again the following day. "Devil's Island," he wrote, "undoubtedly is Elk Island of the Western Pilot, for these islands are often given different names."

References in Journal

March 21, 1833

Labels:

genre, riverscape , Ohio River , Mississippi River , Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Approximate Depicted Location:

Near McClure, Illinois

The Natural Face of North America

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