The original ‘souvenir’ painting by George Cooke given to Coosa Tustennuggee whilst in Washington to sign a treaty dated 24 January 1826. The original painting produced for the Federal Government by Charles Bird King was destroyed in the famous fire at the Smithsonian ironically on the treaty’s anniversary on 24 January 1865. This painting by Cooke is what is termed a ‘souvenir’ painting given to the Indian chief to carry back with him to his encampment. Tustennuggee was a Creek chief of Georgia who was described as being a warrior of the Coosa and a firm bold man.

Herman Viola, Director of the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian, states “while the difficult and protracted negotiations were underway, the delegates agreed to sit for their portraits, and they demanded copies to take home. McKenney [Thomas McKenney, head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs] eager to placate the angry Creeks, readily agreed. As he informed one of the delegates, the copies would not be the same size as the originals – 17.5 by 14 inches – but “a size more convenient and portable.” Nonetheless, they would be “just as true and perfect.” The portrait of Coosa Tustennuggee [offered here] … is the only portrait given to a delegate known to be extant”.

George Cooke (1793-1849) was born on March 17 1793 in St. Mary’s County, Maryland and displayed an early interest in art. After an early disheartening career he was received by Charles Bird King in Washington D.C. It was during this period that he produced this particular painting of Coosa Tustennuggee. In the summer of 1826 he went to Europe to expand his knowledge. In around 1837 he produced six more Indian portraits all of which were included in the second volume of McKenney and Hall’s magnificent three volume study of the “History of the Indian Tribes of North America”. He was described by William Banks as “an extraordinarily prolific and scrupulous delineator of people and places”.

Exhibited: Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 12 January to 18 February 1973 for a special exhibition of the Charles Bird King paintings entitled ‘The American Indian Visitors to Washington in the 1820s and 1830s’. Provenance: Coosa Tustennuggee; Antiques dealer in Wilmette, IL; sold to James A. Williams, Wilmette, IL, from 1969. Banks, William Nathaniel, ‘George Cooke, painter of the American scene’, in ‘Antiques Magazine’, September 1972 pp. 448-54; ??’Treaties of the U.S.’, p. 394; Viola, Herman J. ‘The Indian Legacy of Charles Bird King’ p. 51 & illustrated on p. 58.