English: The Presentation of a Newly-Elected Chief of the Huron Tribe, Canada (1841)

This colour lithograph was a gift of the Bain family in 2008.

Creator: Henry Daniel Thielcke, c. 1788/89-1874; H. Lynch Day & Haghe Lithog.

Date: 1841^[1]

1. ↑ https://www.flickr.com/photos/43021516@N06/7420476874/

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Rare image of the Huron Tribal Council and the presentation of Robert Symes (Robert Symes Esquire Hotwatsi) as an honorary chief. Symes, an Englishman, was the first chief of the Quebec (city) police.

Two other Huron prints were located, one of Nicholas Vincent, Tsaouenhohoui (Tsawenhohi), who appears to be the presenter on the right in this image. The two figures on the left are likely Michel Tsioui, Teacheandale, Chief of Warriors and Stanislas Coska, Aharathaha, Second Chief of the Council. They are in nearly the same positions to each other as in the better-known lithograph of the three Chiefs made from Chatfield's painting (lithographed by Hullmandel). The third chief to the right of Symes in this lithograph appears to be Andre Romain, Tsouhahissen, Chief of the Council. In 1825 Vincent and the three chiefs went to London. The "classic" image of Vincent shows him with the wampum he presented to George IV, and wearing a gold medal presented to him by the King. The chiefs were painted by Edward Chatfield, from which a number of lithographs were drawn by Charles Joseph Hullmandel. Thielcke appears to have "borrowed" the images of all four in this lithograph.

The chiefs all wear "Peace Medals," the four standing figures with larger medal with bust facing left, with slightly smaller one below with bust facing right. The central figure (Symes) wears only the smaller medal. We have been able to locate only one other copy of this lithograph.

Nicholas Vincent (1769-1844) was one of the last great Huron chiefs. He became Grand Chief in 1810, and spent the next three decades trying to reclaim and secure Huron lands, an effort that eventually took him to England and a few years later to address the Assembly of Lower Canada, the first Indian to do so. Besides losing land to increasing numbers of settlers, the Huron-Wendat also had to contend with loggers on their lands, destroying the environment needed by the game animals the Huron relied on. In 1829, he drew a map as part of the "Vincent Plan," which identified the hunting lands used by the Huron.^[1]

1. ↑ http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?itemid=70516