McKenney and Hall, 1836-1844 - ME-TE-A, A POTTAWATOMIE CHIEF., from History of the Indian Tribes of North - ca. 1838 - T-Shirt

This is a formal portrait of Me-Te-A, a Pottawatomie chief, drawn from the 1830s history of Native American tribes compiled by Thomas McKenney and James Hall.

Visual Elements & Composition

The image is built around a single figure, with the chief held at the centre of the sheet and the background kept spare so attention stays on him. It is a hand-colored lithograph on paper, and the colour is applied by hand over the printed line, which gives the portrait its warmth and its individual character. The sheet carries the printed title and plate information along its border.

Meaning & Symbolism

Portraits like this were meant to record leaders with dignity at a time when many Native nations faced forced removal and the loss of their lands. Me-Te-A stands for the diplomacy and resistance that shaped relations between Native leaders and the United States government in the early 1800s. McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America is widely regarded as one of the most important visual documentation projects of the nineteenth century, and this plate places one chief's presence within that effort to preserve a record of Native life.

Wearing the Portrait

A tee puts the portrait at the chest, where it is seen at conversation distance and moves with the person wearing it. The chief's face and bearing stay legible as the wearer turns, so the historical record remains present in everyday settings. The design asks to be looked at closely, and the shirt gives it a place to be seen.