Indian Girl in White Blanket 1917

Robert Henri created this portrait with oil on canvas, using broad brushstrokes to capture a young woman wrapped in a white blanket. Oil paint is a medium that can be pushed around, reworked, and layered to achieve depth and luminosity. Look closely, and you'll notice that the texture of the brushstrokes adds a tactile quality to the blanket, suggesting its weight and drape. The materiality of the blanket itself is also important. Weaving is an ancient practice, deeply rooted in Indigenous cultures, and the patterned textiles in the background allude to this rich tradition. The way that Henri has depicted the textiles reflects the labor-intensive process of weaving. Henri's choice of subject matter raises important questions about representation and cultural appropriation. While he may have intended to honor Indigenous people, his portrait also exoticizes them, turning them into objects of aesthetic contemplation. By considering the materials, processes, and social context of this painting, we can gain a deeper understanding of its complex and often contradictory meanings. It challenges the assumption that fine art exists in a realm apart from the concerns of craft, labor, and cultural exchange.