1848 Original Hand colored lithograph of MICANOPY, plate 33, A SEMINOLE CHIEF, from the octavo edition of McKenney & Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America
McKenney & Hall, History of the Indian Tribes of North America,
MICANOPY, A SEMINOLE CHIEF
Hand-Colored Octavo Lithograph after Charles Bird King, Plate No 33.
Publ. Rice, Rutter & C. 1848-50
Paper size 10 1/4 x 6 5/8" (26.2 x 16.6 cm). Great condition and color.
This original, hand-colored lithograph comes from the octavo edition of McKenney & Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America, published by Rice, Rutter & Co and the plate number of this lithograph is No 33.
An admirer and supporter of the American Indians, Thomas McKenney spent his tenure in office fighting for their cause and preserving their legacy through a gallery of paintings that were commissioned by various artists. Unfortunately, the original paintings burned in a fire, and all that is left to remember these Indians are the lithographs found in History which were modeled off the paintings.
This print is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction, from History of the Indian Tribes of North America. It is authentic. Due to its age, it may have slight imperfections such as foxing so, please, examine the octavo carefully to be satisfied, as photos tell better than words.
Micanopy's name was derived from the Hitchiti terms miko (chief), and naba (above), and consequently meaning "high chief" or the like.Micanopy was also known as Hulbutta Hajo, (or "Crazy Alligator").
Little is known of his early life other than that Micanopy was born near present-day St. Augustine, Florida, sometime around 1780. He succeeded Bolek as hereditary principal chief of the Seminole following the latter's death in 1819. The people had a matrilineal kinship system: property and position were passed through the maternal line. Nearly 40 when he became chief, Micanopy soon began acquiring large amounts of land and cattle. As was common practice among elite Seminole, he hired more than 100 fugitive slaves to work his estates during the early nineteenth century. He encouraged intermarriage between the Seminole and blacks. This had been the Seminole tradition since they considered blacks to be human equals, unlike the view by whites at the time. Some of their mixed-race descendants gained influence as an elite among tribal councils (including several war chiefs).