Chief Billy Bowlegs
- Date
- 1861
- Material
- Oil on canvas mounted on panel
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- American Art
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 321
- Dimensions
- 25 1/4 x 30 1/4 in. (64.1 x 76.8 cm)
framed: 34 7/16 x 36 3/8 x 4 3/8 in. (87.5 x 92.4 x 11.1 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 9:1938
NOTES
Charles Ferdinand Wimar portrays the Seminole chief Billy Bowlegs (Holata Micco) with a group of men, advancing through the dense vegetation of the Florida Everglades. During the mid-nineteenth century, Holata Micco became well-known due to his role as a leader during the Third Seminole War, and images of him were circulated in popular publications. Wimar used these images as a basis for Holata Micco’s facial features and headdress, while editing his attire to conform to 19th-century stereotypes of Native Americans.
Provenance
by October 1871 -
Charles W. R. Schleiffarth (1827-1890), St. Louis, MO [1]
1871 - still in 1890
Arthur H. Gale (1852-1933), St. Louis, MO [2]
- by 1938
Arthur H. Gale, Jr. (1883-1941), St. Louis, MO, acquired from Arthur H. Gale
1938 –
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Arthur H. Gale, Jr. [3]
Notes:
[1] In exhibition catalog, "St. Louis Mercantile Library Exhibition of Paintings, Oct 1871," painting is lent by Charles Schleiffarth. Mrs. Charles W. R. Schleiffarth was Anna Von Senden Wimar Scheiffarth (1838-1917), who was married to the artist from 1861 until his death.
Painting was exhibited in 1870 by Pettes & Leathe at the Tenth Annual St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, but it’s not known who the owner was at the time. ["Tenth Annual Report of the Saint Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association." St. Louis: Missouri Democrat Book and Job Printing House, 1871, p. 81].
[2] Newspaper article describes painting being given to Arthur Gale by his father in 1871 [St. Louis Post-Dispatch May 31, 1938, p. 4B]. Painting was loaned by Mr. Arthur Gale in "Catalogue of the Art Collection of the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall Association, Seventh Annual Exhibition." St. Louis 1890.
[3] Invoice, April 28, 1938 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, May 5, 1938.
Charles W. R. Schleiffarth (1827-1890), St. Louis, MO [1]
1871 - still in 1890
Arthur H. Gale (1852-1933), St. Louis, MO [2]
- by 1938
Arthur H. Gale, Jr. (1883-1941), St. Louis, MO, acquired from Arthur H. Gale
1938 –
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Arthur H. Gale, Jr. [3]
Notes:
[1] In exhibition catalog, "St. Louis Mercantile Library Exhibition of Paintings, Oct 1871," painting is lent by Charles Schleiffarth. Mrs. Charles W. R. Schleiffarth was Anna Von Senden Wimar Scheiffarth (1838-1917), who was married to the artist from 1861 until his death.
Painting was exhibited in 1870 by Pettes & Leathe at the Tenth Annual St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, but it’s not known who the owner was at the time. ["Tenth Annual Report of the Saint Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association." St. Louis: Missouri Democrat Book and Job Printing House, 1871, p. 81].
[2] Newspaper article describes painting being given to Arthur Gale by his father in 1871 [St. Louis Post-Dispatch May 31, 1938, p. 4B]. Painting was loaned by Mr. Arthur Gale in "Catalogue of the Art Collection of the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall Association, Seventh Annual Exhibition." St. Louis 1890.
[3] Invoice, April 28, 1938 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, May 5, 1938.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.