General J. E. Smith and Indians 1870s

This 1870s photograph by Mathew Brady, "General J. E. Smith and Indians," portrays General Smith standing with seven Indigenous individuals. Brady was a prominent American photographer, known for his portraits of Civil War figures and his documentation of the American West. The photograph, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into a significant moment in American history and the complex relationship between the U.S. military and Indigenous communities. The composition highlights the contrast between the military figure and the Indigenous individuals, drawing attention to the differing power dynamics of the time.