Stanley Indian Portraits Displayed in SI Building

Summary

Secretary Joseph Henry reports that John Mix Stanley deposited a gallery of Indian portraits (completed between 1842 and 1852) in the West Wing of the Smithsonian Institution Building or "Castle." The portraits generate much interest among visitors.

Subject

• Henry, Joseph 1797-1878
• Stanley, John Mix 1814-1872
• Smithsonian Institution Building (Washington, D.C.)
• Smithsonian Institution Building West Wing

Category

Chronology of Smithsonian History

Notes

• Image is Stanley portrait of Native American with pipe, c. 1860s. Smithsonian Institution Archives, negative number nhb-21805.
• The Stanley Gallery of Indian Portraits was later destroyed in the January 24, 1865, fire in the Smithsonian Castle.
• Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for the year 1854, p. 26
• Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, volume 18, number 329. "Journals of the Proceedings of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution 1846-76, Reports of Committees, Statistics, Etc." ed. by William J. Rhees. Washington: Published by the Smithsonian Institution, 1879., p. 83

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

March 22, 1852

Topic

• Acquisitions
• Art
• Historians
• Ethnology
• Anthropology
• Exhibitions
• Museums
• Art objects
• Museums--Acquisitions
• Indians of North America
• Museum visitors

Place

North America

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