Eighteenth-Century Colonist Preaching to Indians 1852

Emanuel Leutze made this ink drawing, Eighteenth-Century Colonist Preaching to Indians, using a relatively simple set of materials. The image is made through the direct, linear application of ink to paper. The artist's hand is evident in the quick, almost nervous energy of the lines, bringing the scene to life with an immediacy that parallels the urgency of the depicted encounter. The thinness of the lines allows us to see the layers of the drawing, the artist's own process of decision-making. Consider the labor and politics inherent in the scene, this landscape, which is a site of cultural exchange and conflict. Leutze leaves much unsaid, but the medium itself speaks volumes: the stark contrast of ink on paper mirrors the clash of cultures depicted, while the fragility of the medium hints at the delicate balance of power. Leutze asks us to consider the materials, the making, and the context, challenging any simplistic distinction between fine art and craft.