Artwork
Ne-Sou-A Quoit, a Fox Chief
Ne-Sou-A Quoit, a Fox Chief is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Albert Newsam. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1837, Ne‑Sou‑A Quoit, a Fox Chief is a hand‑colored lithograph executed on wove paper.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:text at bottom on stone: Painted by C. B. King / on stone by A. Newsam / Lehman & Duval Lithrs. / Ne-Sou-A-Quoit / A Fox Chief / Philadelphia, Published by E.C. Biddle. / Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1837, by E.C. Biddle in the Clerks office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pa.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1837, Ne‑Sou‑A Quoit, a Fox Chief is a hand‑colored lithograph executed on wove paper. The image presents a male figure identified as a chief of the Fox nation, adorned with a tall feathered headdress, a fur cloak, and a beaded necklace bearing a small medallion. He holds a diminutive white animal, and his face is painted with striking red and yellow stripes.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait emphasizes the chief’s status through elaborate regalia: the feathered crown, the fur mantle, and the medallion that bears the likeness of a white man, a motif that may allude to diplomatic or trade relations between the Fox people and Euro‑American traders. The inclusion of the small white animal further underscores themes of exchange and cultural interaction.
Technique & Style
Newsam employed lithography, a relatively new print medium in early‑19th‑century America that allowed for fine detail and reproducibility. After drawing the image on a limestone surface, the artist transferred it to paper and added hand‑applied color, enhancing the vivid reds, yellows, and whites that define the chief’s attire and facial paint.
History & Provenance
Albert Newsam, a deaf artist from Steubenville, Ohio, was among the first American lithographers to work for medical, musical, and portrait commissions.
Albert Newsam, a deaf artist from Steubenville, Ohio, was among the first American lithographers to work for medical, musical, and portrait commissions. This work reflects his broader output, which combined commercial print work with portraiture of notable individuals. The lithograph was produced during Newsam’s most active period, when he was establishing a reputation for detailed, colored prints.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Albert Newsam (May 20, 1809 – November 20, 1864) was an American lithographer and painter.
