The Ideology of Chapman’s “The Baptism of Pocahontas”

In 1837 John Gadsby Chapman was commissioned to paint one of the eight paintings adorning the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington D.C. and depicting important events in the history of the United States. Although the other paintings present national male heroes, Chapman’s contribution, “The Baptism of Pocahontas”, was considered to be appropriate because of its religious elements and its message about the Native Americans.

On the one hand, the artist intended to paint a historical scene that had not been ‘explored’ by artists until then. According to Chapman there were “some subjects of thrilling incident connected with our history untouched […]” (Tilton, 1994, p. 104, quoted on http:// www.lehigh.edu/~ejg1/natimag/pocahontas.htm [23/4/2006]). For Chapman the decisive

moment in Pocahontas’ life obviously was her conversion to the Christian faith and not her rescue of John Smith from execution.

On the other hand, Chapman explained his intentions and justified his decision to portray Pocahontas by writing a pamphlet in which he described her as one of “those wandering children of the forest who have […] been snatched from the fangs of a barbarous idolatry, to become lambs in the fold of the Divine Shepherd. She therefore appeals to our religious as well as our patriotic sympathies and is […] associated with the rise and progress of the Christian Church as with the political destinies of the United State” (Chapman, 1840, p. 5, quoted on http://www.lehigh.edu/~ejg1/natimag/pocahontas.htm [23/4/2006]).

Moreover, the painting seems to celebrate the peaceful and voluntary entry of a Native American into the Christian faith and the western civilization, while at the same time depreciating the unwilling savages, who disapprove of everything connected with the ‘modern’ world (cp. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/POCA/Pocanew3.html [23/4/2006]). In order to illustrate the problematic and strained relationship between Anglo-Americans and Native Americans Chapman integrated some members of Pocahontas’ family in the picture. However, their presence at the baptism is actually not proven.

Nantequaua, Pocahontas’ brother, turns away from the conversion of his sister, unwilling to witness her acceptance of Christianity and European culture. Pocahontas’ sister, who is seated on the floor and holds a child, seems to be anxious, interested and curious at the same time. Opechankanough, Pocahontas’ uncle, is sitting to the right of Pocahontas' sister. He is obviously not interested at all in the ceremony and simply ignores it. In contrast to Pocahontas they are all depicted as savages, because they reject the benefits of European culture and Christian religion.

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