Portrait of the Mohawk Chieftain Thayendanegea, Known as Joseph Brant
by STUART, Gilbert, Oil on canvas, 76 x 61 cm
Thayendanegea (1742-1807) was one of the seminal figures of early American history. The paramount war chief of the Iroquois Nation, as well as a missionary and diplomat of consummate skill, he was the Native American best known to Europeans of his generation. An inspirational leader, he lobbied tirelessly with both British and American authorities to secure his nation’s survival.