Artist: Peter Stephenson Title: The Wounded Indian, 1848-1850 35
1/8 x 59 x 31 in. (89.2 x 149.9 x 78.7 cm) Gift of James H.
Ricau and Museum purchase Bending forward in pain from the wound
in his side, the fallen warrior holds a clue to what has
happened. Looking carefully, you will see that his injury comes
from an arrow and not a bullet. To viewers in the mid 1800s,
this sculpture supported the popular belief that settlers were
not to blame for the disappearing American Indian. During this
time, the United States government forced many American Indians
to leave their lands as the country expanded westward. Peter
Stephenson saw this firsthand while growing up in Michigan. His
choice of marble, a material used by Greek and Roman artists to
honor gods, warriors, and athletes, shows us that the artist had
respect for the American Indian.