Mahsette-Kuiuab, Cree Chief

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Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Mahsette-Kuiuab, Cree Chief

Date

October 16, 1833

Dimensions

12 5/8 × 10 in. (32.1 × 25.4 cm)

Medium

Wash and graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.230

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

Mähsette-Kuiuab's French name was "Le Sonnant." When encountered by Maximilian at Fort Union in mid-October of 1833, he suffered from an eye affliction and the light bothered him so much that he could not sit still for a detailed portrait. In this hasty sketch Bodmer shows him with a noticeable squint. In the later aquatint (Vignette XXII) the man's right eye is filmed over as if with a cataract. In both renderings, the extensive body tattooing is a striking feature. Tattooing was practiced by both men and women among the Crees. For women the tattoos were primarily decorative, while men's tattooing had religious significance or reflected rank. Mähsette-Kuiuab was a powerful chief and famous medicine man. He used as a charm or emblem the scalp of a bear, and was particularly respected for his ability to foretell the future. Once while among the Mandans, Mähsette-Kuiuab prophesied that they would soon kill a man on a white horse. Shortly thereafter, a Cheyenne raiding party came riding through and a warrior astride a white horse was captured by the Mandans and put to death.

References in Journal

October 16, 1833

Labels:

portrait , Fort Union, North Dakota

Approximate Depicted Location:

Fort Union, North Dakota