The Indians Delivering up the English Captives to Colonel Bouquet near his camp at the folks of Muskingum, North America in November 1764 1769

Benjamin West created this print depicting a scene from the aftermath of the French and Indian War. It shows Colonel Bouquet receiving English captives who had been living with Native American tribes. West made this image in Britain, at a time when ideas about civilization and savagery were intensely debated. The print is laden with political meaning. It portrays the English as orderly and rational, embodied by the seated Colonel Bouquet, who is writing. In contrast, the Native Americans are shown as emotional, even unruly. This contrast served to legitimize British expansion and control over North America, framing it as a civilizing mission. To understand this print fully, we need to consider the social and political context in which it was made. Historical sources, such as letters, treaties, and other documents, can help us to better understand the complex relationships between the British and Native American peoples during this period. The meaning of art is contingent on its historical context.