The Landing of Roger Williams in 1636 1857

Alonzo Chappel painted "The Landing of Roger Williams in 1636" sometime within his active years, 1850 - 1880. It is a depiction of Roger Williams, a prominent figure known for advocating religious freedom and fair treatment of Native Americans, arriving in what would become Rhode Island. However, the image also illustrates the complex and often romanticized narratives of early American history. It suggests a peaceful encounter between Williams and the Indigenous population but, it’s important to acknowledge this is a selective interpretation of colonial history. The exchange of gifts belies the subsequent displacement and dispossession of Native communities. Look at the faces and bodies represented, who gets to be fully clothed, and who is depicted half-naked? Chappel’s painting prompts us to consider whose perspectives are centered and whose are marginalized in historical accounts. The emotional weight of the piece resides in this tension between idealized encounter and the harsher realities of colonial expansion.