Charles Bird King

Charles Bird King was an American artist born on September 26, 1785, in Newport, Rhode Island, and he passed away on March 18, 1862, in Washington, D.C. He is best known for his portraits, particularly those of Native American leaders, which he painted during the early 19th century. King was associated with the American portraiture movement and played a significant role in documenting the appearance and attire of Native American figures during a period of significant cultural change. His work was commissioned by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many of his portraits were later reproduced as lithographs in Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall's "History of the Indian Tribes of North America." Despite the destruction of many of his original works in a fire at the Smithsonian Institution in 1865, King's contributions remain vital to the understanding of early American art and the representation of Native American subjects.