Cunne Shote was a leader of the Cherokee tribe during the French and Indian War (Seven Years War) as the French and British fought to control greater portions of frontier regions. Many Native American tribes became embroiled in the conflict, and Cunne Shote steered his tribe into a war against the British colonies of the Carolinas and Virginia. In 1762, Cunne Shote and two other Cherokees accompanied Virginian Lieutenant Henry Timberlake to London to reaffirm a peace treaty between the Cherokee and the British Crown. British artist Francis Parsons shows Cunne Shote clutching his deadly knife with a forceful gesture. Along with peace medals and beaded jewelry, he wears a large plate gorget, which was possibly given to him during the treaty negotiations.

From the exhibition: After Removal: Rebuilding the Cherokee Nation, August 25, 2017 - January 21, 2018.
Curated by Dr. Duane King & Dr. Natalie Panther, 2017.