Indian Antiquities (Copy after Engraving in American Medical and Philosophical Register, 1812) 1812 - 1816

Pavel Petrovich Svinin's watercolor drawing "Indian Antiquities" depicts three clay vessels from an engraving published in an 1812 medical journal. The work, created between 1812 and 1816, demonstrates Svinin's interest in the material culture of Native American peoples, a common subject matter for European artists and scholars in the early 19th century. The artist’s detailed rendering emphasizes the texture of the pottery, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of these objects. "Indian Antiquities" is a fine example of a still life and a representation of early American material culture.