Water Color Images of Native People, Research Paper Example

It is valuable to document sights and occurrences so that the future generations can gain an understanding of what life was like during various periods of history. When John White traveled from England to North Carolina, he documented his trip to display the native people he encountered in addition to information regarding their lifestyles. These pictures serve as the basis of our comprehension about historical topics. However, we are able to build upon the understandings depicted in these works to gain more information about the time period and the people that lived at this time. For example, artifacts can be recovered and examined to further what we know about the failed colony of Roanoke. By matching pictures drawn of this area from the time period with relevant artifacts, we are better able to make conclusions about the true state of the area that was observed. Since drawings can be biased, it is beneficial to compile this evidence in order to correct misconceptions when interpreting historical art.

The first set of images to be examined for this analysis are depictions of the “Village of Pomeiooc”. The watercolor drawing “Indian Village of Pomeiooc” by John White was created between 1585 and 1586 (Virtual Jamestown). The main purpose of this piece was to provide a detailed, but quick depiction of White’s personal observation. An important consideration regarding all of White’s artwork is that his designs may have been relatively rushed. While he wished to portray an accurate image of his sights, he was also incentivized to finish his work quickly in order to please his comrades back in England. As such, this image appears to have cartoon elements and emphasize the shapes and locations of the Native American dwellings that were identified. This depiction allows other Europeans to understand more about the culture and lifestyle of the Native Americans. In particular, we see that these individuals live in close communities and have organization within their walls. Notes at the bottom of the image mention the wall that surrounds the town for the purpose of defenses. From this image, we are able to gain important information that would be needed if we intended to revisit this area and wish to have a strategic advantage. The last thing that is striking about White’s work is the material used to make the picture. It appears that White relied on items that are more naturally occurring to show the scene, which is marked by the brown coloring of the houses and people and the blurry backdrop on which the picture is created.

On the other hand, the “The Tovvne of Pomeiooc” is an engraving by De Bry that was printed in 1590 (Virtual Jamestown). Although this image was based off of White’s original art, the purpose of this piece is significantly different compared to the one created by White. De Bry’s goal was to create a more realistic image of the scene using printing techniques that would allow the image to last for a longer amount of time and be dispersed to the public more effectively. As such, it appears that this engraving is meant to serve as an educational tool. Four years after the Europeans received White’s painting, they were able to gain a greater understanding of Native American culture and life. They were therefore able to add more detail to the picture based on this understanding. In this piece, the physical artwork uses straighter lines and different spacing techniques to make the buildings in the town appear neater and more organized. This version of the artwork is meant to be more aesthetically pleasing because it is not simply a rough recording of an observation, it was made to be viewed and preserved for a long period of time. Thus, greater symmetry and technique was applied in its creation.

The watercolor drawing “Indian Woman and Young Girl” by John White was created between 1585 and 1586 (Virtual Jamestown). This painting uses a scheme of colors what White uses to show the features of the Native American mother and her child. Since Europeans were not familiar with the people that live in this area, it was valuable for White to show their facial features for this purpose. Furthermore, the painting carefully shows the native clothing in addition to the activity that they are performing. It appears that the young girl is helping her mother with a chore, likely bringing water from a river. The purpose of this painting is to bring a realistic depiction of the Native Americans to the European people.

Based on White’s painting, De Bry created an engraving entitled “A cheiff Ladye of Pomeiooc”, which was printed in 1950 (Virtual Jamestown). This painting deviates in several important ways from the original produced by White. In particular, the girl and the mother are further apart in this picture, showing that they may not have a close relationship or may not be working together, which contrasts the idea that the first painting had put forth. In addition, the young girl is holding some strange tool in her hand that she did not have in the first picture. This may be in an attempt to portray an aspect of the Native American culture to Europeans. Last, the faces of the woman and the girl appear to be more European in the remake of White’s picture, showing that European bias is present in the image, whereas White attempted to preserve their features.

Overall, it is important to consider that paintings are created for many different reasons. Based on the artwork of this Native American culture, it is apparent that White’s primary intent was to collect these images for the purpose of gathering information about the new land and the people that live in it. As such, he attempts to be as accurate as possible in the collecting of these images in order to bring a realistic representation back to the Europeans. On the other hand, De Bry creates them in a manner that would be more widely accepted and enjoyed by Europeans. Making lines straighter definitely makes the Native American dwellings appear to be neater and more appealing. Likewise, changing the facial features of the woman with her daughter to more European characteristics allows European’s to identify more closely with the individuals that are seen in the picture and pay more attention to this art. It is apparent that De Bry made changes to White’s paintings because he was marketing them to a different audience. Preserving their appearance would not have contributed to popularity among Europeans, so De Bry decided to “improve” White’s paintings in order to accomplish this purpose.

Works Cited

Virtual Jamestown. Index of White Watercolors and De Bry Engravings. N.D. Web. 22 October 2015.