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Primary sourcePainting

Watercolor Portrait of Joseph Brant

William Armstrong

A watercolor portrait of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) held by the National Archives of Canada.

A primary portrait of Brant labeled with both his English and Mohawk names, showing him in traditional dress.

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Watercolor portrait of a man in profile-turned-three-quarter view wearing a headband with two upright feathers, a pink-and-white floral jacket, a blue sash and blue cloak, holding a knife. Labeled BRANT at upper left and Joseph Thayendanegea at right.
William Armstrong, Watercolor Portrait of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea). National Archives of Canada.

About this source

What it is

This is a watercolor portrait of Joseph Brant, also known by his Mohawk name Thayendanegea, painted by William Armstrong. It is held by the National Archives of Canada. The portrait shows him in traditional dress with a feathered headband, decorated jacket, sash and cloak, holding a knife, and is labeled with his names.

Why it matters

As a portrait made during or close to his lifetime, this image is treated as a primary source for how Brant appeared and was presented. The labeling of both his English and Mohawk names reflects his dual identity as a Mohawk leader who also worked within British colonial society.

Look closer

  • Why might the artist have included both the names 'Brant' and 'Joseph Thayendanegea' on the portrait?
  • What do his clothing and the knife he holds suggest about how he wanted to be seen?
  • What questions do you have about who commissioned this portrait and why?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Oil portrait of a man with dark hair, facing forward, wearing a red and white feathered headdress, a pale pink shirt with ruffled cuffs, a black sash, and a silver gorget. A green and red sash is at his waist. Dark background with blue-grey clouds at upper left. Inscription at lower right reads 'Thayendanegea, Joseph Brant, the Mohawk Chief.'Painting

Primary source

Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant)

George Romney · 1776

Oil painting of a man in profile-leaning three-quarter view against a blue sky with white clouds. He wears a tall red feather plume in a dark banded headdress, a dark jacket, a red blanket-like cloak, and a large white crescent-shaped ornament on his chest.Painting

Primary source

Joseph Brant by Gilbert Stuart

Gilbert Stuart · 1786

Oil portrait of a man in profile turned to the left, wearing a dark headband with a white feather, a red flower and green leaves, a white shirt, dark neck cloth, a crescent gorget, and a pink wrap over his shoulder, against a blue-gray background.Painting

Primary source

Joseph Brant by Charles Willson Peale

Charles Willson Peale · 1797

Sepia-toned mezzotint print of a man in a feathered headdress and a white shirt with a sash, holding his hands together at his waist against a dark background. A printed caption runs along the bottom margin of the sheet.Painting

Secondary source

Joseph Fayadaneega, called the Brant, the Great Captain of the Six Nations

John Raphael Smith, after George Romney · 1779

Black-and-white reproduction of a painted portrait of an older man with a receding hairline and dark hair swept back, wearing a dark high-collared garment. He faces forward with a neutral expression against a textured background.Painting

Primary source

Joseph Brant by Ezra Ames

Ezra Ames · 1806

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