McKenney and Hall, 1836-1844 - NOT-CHI-MI-NE. AN IOWAY CHIEF., from History of the Indian Tribes of North - ca. 1838 - T-Shirt

This hand-coloured lithograph presents Not-Chi-Mi-Ne, a leader of the Ioway nation, in a formal bust-length portrait that sits centred on a cream sheet.

Visual Elements & Composition

Cream dominates the design, forming the paper ground that frames the sitter. Brick red appears in the feathered headdress and in the ribbons tied to the lance or staff at his side, giving the warm accent that draws the eye upward to the face. Small touches of yellow and sage green add colour to the surrounding print, while the grey print tones keep the overall palette quiet and archival. The printed caption, NDT-CHI-MI-NE and AN IOWAY CHIEF., runs across the sheet and anchors the portrait as a documented record.

Meaning & Symbolism

The headdress, striped headband and staff signal rank and standing within Ioway life, while the silver cameo medallion at his chest marks him as a figure of consequence. The portrait was made in the 1830s and 1840s, when the Ioway were negotiating with the United States government amid removal and rapid territorial change. It comes from McKenney and Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America, a collaboration between Thomas McKenney, former superintendent of Indian affairs, and the publisher James Hall. The series preserved the likenesses and traditional standing of tribal leaders, and it remains an important primary source for historians of the period.

On the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

A portrait built around a single centred figure suits the front of a tee, where the face and headdress sit at chest height and read clearly from across a room. The cream ground and bust-length composition carry the detail of the original print onto cotton, so the sitter stays the focus whether the shirt is worn casually or dressed up.