Who is the American artist who is best known for his painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence who is the native American sitting there?

Answer 1

John Trumbull is the American Artist who is best known for his painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The painting is:

Oil on canvas, 12' x 18'

Commissioned 1817; purchased 1819; placed 1826

Rotunda The first painting that Trumbull completed for the Rotunda shows the signing of the Declaration of Independence in what is now called Independence Hall, Philadelphia, on July 4, 1776. The painting features the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence--John Adams, Robert Sherman, Thomas Jefferson (presenting the document), and Benjamin Franklin--standing before John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress. The painting includes portraits of 42 of the 56 signers and 5 other patriots. The artist sketched the individuals and the room from life. There is no Native American Indian featured in the painting. In fact the only reference to the natives of the land are defined in the text of the declaration of independence as a charge against the King of Great Britain and Native Americans in this text are referred to "merciless Indian Savages"as follows : ...HE (King of Great Britain) has excited domestic Insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the Inhabitants of our Frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known Rule of Warfare, is an undistinguished Destruction, of all Ages, Sexes and Conditions. IN every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury.