Wooden Indian Chief c. 1937

Ernest A. Towers, Jr.’s, "Wooden Indian Chief," is a drawing rendered in graphite and watercolor on paper. Towers, Jr. lived through a period of dramatic transformation in the United States, which saw industrialization, urbanization, and significant shifts in demographics due to immigration and migration. This work invites us to consider how images of Indigenous peoples have been historically constructed and circulated. Here, the figure is depicted holding a rifle, a symbol of both defense and the violence of colonization. The inclusion of such imagery prompts reflection on the complex and often contradictory ways in which Native Americans have been portrayed. What does it mean to depict this figure with both dignity and the tools of war? As you look at this image, think about the stories it tells and the silences it holds, and how these representations contribute to our understanding of American identity and history.