Chief Wolf Robe

£25.00

Fine Art Watercolour Paper
Giclee Prints
Size: 330mm x 330mm

Original Painting Medium: Graphite Pencil
Region: Oklahoma, America

Many moons ago, I purchased a greeting card displaying this photo of a Native American Indian. Since childhood, I have always been interested in, and greatly respected the Native American Indian way of life.

I loved the character and features in the face of my American Indian and having never portrayed a person before, his portrait was a new challenge for me.

Wishing to learn more about my Indian; I couldn’t believe my luck when I found myself speaking with a gentleman in America, called George Horse Capture. George was an activist, writer, and one of the earliest Native Americans to become an anthropologist, and Senior Museum Curator of the American Indian National Anthropological Archives, at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington.

George told me that the gentleman in my drawing was Wolf Robe: Honii-Wotoma (Honihewoomah), of the Southern Cheyenne.  According to their records, Chief Wolf Robe was born in 1841 and his home was Bridgeport, Caddo County, Oklahoma.  Apparently, he was a well-known chief who, probably as part of a delegation, visited Washington DC several times ca.1909. The photographer was most likely a man called DeLancey Gill.

Through my pencil drawing of Chief Wolf Robe, I met some interesting people. Special thanks to Daisy and the staff from the NAA and to George Horse Capture, for his kindness and help. A print of my artwork is now at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.

George was known to his family as Grandpa Braids, and I was very sad to learn that George Paul Horse Capture,  born in 1937 ~ native name Nay Gyagya Nee (“Spotted Otter”), passed away in 2013. Thank you again George for your help and kindness.

George Horse Capture

George Horse Capture Snr interview 2007

Montana Sen. Jon Tester remembered Horse Capture in a post on CapitolWords.org. “George had a remarkable life filled with service to his people and to our country,” Tester wrote. “George’s life and his commitment to his people and his community is a reminder of the power of each individual to make a difference.”

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