John Mix Stanley was an American artist and portrait painter who travelled the West painting Native American subjects and landscapes. He attended the Grand Council with his daguerreotype camera, the first publicly available photographic process. He took pictures at the Grand Council meeting and used these images to enhance his painting titled 1843 Grand Council.

The International Indian Council, held in Tahlequah in 1843, was organized by John Ross to create a peaceful new order in the West following Indian removal. In his address, Ross emphasized the need to recognize changing circumstances, while harkening back to the longstanding traditions of Indian peacemaking.


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