Three Iroquois Indians 1861 - 1869

George Catlin painted these Three Iroquois Indians using oil on canvas. The figures stand draped in ceremonial robes, adorned with feathers. These feathers, deeply symbolic, represented a connection to the divine and the embodiment of power and freedom within the Iroquois culture. Consider the presence of feathered headdresses in ancient Egyptian iconography, where they signified the pharaoh's divine status and authority. This motif appears centuries later in Renaissance art, where angels are depicted with feathered wings, symbolizing spiritual transcendence. The repetition of this symbol across cultures and eras reveals the archetype of aspiration— a subconscious yearning to connect with higher realms. The feather, initially signifying power and status, evolves to embody spiritual transcendence, then freedom, and ultimately resurfaces as a symbol of cultural identity. The motifs, thus, are not static; they are constantly in flux.