American History

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Images of Pocahontas

Different artists create startlingly different representations of even the same subject. Their

personal experiences, class, and time period all influence their work. Such differences are easy to

see in the 1616 sketch of Pocahontas by Simon van de Passe, and the 1913 bronze statue of her

by William Ordway Partridge. These images loudly betray the contrast between British and

American uses of Pocahontas’ narrative. From the choices of her clothing and pose to the

medium of depiction, we can see how nationalist and capitalist motivations drove how this

unique figure in colonial history was portrayed.

When designing their works, the artists who focused on Pocahontas made choices

influenced by the intention of the culture around them. What we can only assume is our most

accurate depiction of Pocahontas comes from the portrait by Simon van de Passe. There are

battling influences on her portrayal in this sketch; she was, of course, alive and available to sit

for van de Passe to draw, lending the image credibility. Context, however, is vital. We know that

in 1616, Pocahontas was in England, being used as a prop by the companies hoping to draw

more settlers to the new world. In the sketch, she is costumed in the height of English fashion,

addressed around the border of the image by her Christian name, and no artistic choices are made

to harken back to her origins as one of America’s Indigenous Peoples. The art, like Pocahontas’

trip to England, conveys the message of Pocahontas’ assimilation into English culture. The class

textbook notes that Pocahontas was a curiosity for the English who saw her; Van de Passe’s

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sketch reveals a competing desire for her to be seen as perhaps just another ‘good Christian,’ a

success story of the Jamestown colony and the Virginia Company. On the other end of the

representative spectrum comes the statue at Jamestown Island. In this image, Pocahontas is

dressed in native clothing. Not accurate clothing, perhaps, but the intention to bring her back to

her indigenous roots is clear. Where the English, through the Virginia Company, wished to

represent her as a symbol of a tamed America, the United States were approaching an important

anniversary and hoped to reframe Pocahontas’ legend as one of the welcoming nature of the

Americas. Here, they had a figure who could not only represent her people but the land itself. By

redressing an adult Pocahontas in indigenous-style clothing, and casting her hands out to her

sides, they sent a message of warmth which complemented their view of the United States as a

nation.

In addition to the basic design and staging of these images, there are fascinating

consequences of the choice of medium made by the creators of these artworks and their patrons.

The American representation of Pocahontas, the statue at Jamestown Island, is an especially

important example of this. The statue is not merely a fleeting snapshot of Pocahontas’ person, it

is meant to be an enduring representation of her character. Her portrayal in this statue has a real

impact, that we can see the effects of even in modern times- just look at Pocahontas’ bright

palms, polished by the many tourists who have touched them. Pocahontas’ statue once stood on a

pedestal, but since being brought to the ground her stance has invited her visitors to stand by her

side. That message from the artist, that Pocahontas is there to welcome and guide you just as the

New World supposedly welcomed European colonists, leads person after person to accept the

statue’s warmth and take her hand. It is meant to foster a legend, and encourage a certain feeling

about our nation. The 1616 image of Pocahontas, meanwhile, apparently has no such lofty

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aspirations. No painting was done, no statue commissioned; the Virginia Company was not

looking to invest in creating a lasting story. Rather than establishing a groundwork for a long-

term narrative, they had an immediate desire to quell the fears of settlers, in order to ensure their

business success through the colony. Van de Passe became party to this in his sketch, just as

Partridge participated in creating Pocahontas’ legend in the United States through his sculpture.

In examining the depictions of Pocahontas it would not be unfair to say we learn more

about the circumstances surrounding her story than the woman herself. Such is the revealing

nature of art that we see so much of the artist’s culture and context even when their subject is one

of a very narrow focus. Through design choices and chosen medium, we can see evidence of the

contemporary attitudes toward Indigenous Peoples, the North American continent, and the ever-

changing narrative surrounding the woman known as Pocahontas.