The Death of Jane McCrea Analysis

“The Death of Jane McCrea” Analysis So many words come to mind when I look at the horrific picture painted by John Vanderlyn in 1804. “The Death of Jane McCrea” depicts two Native-Americans holding a tomahawk above an innocent white woman. Between the period of when the first settlers arrived in Jamestown (1607), and when this painting was completed, relations with between the white settlers and the Native Americans tended to oscillate between friendship and hostility. This …showed first 75 words of 685 total…

…showed last 75 words of 685 total…or on the side of Satan- the devil. In conclusion, Vanderlyn uses many different techniques in this painting to prove that the Indians are belligerent and primitive. He incorporates God and religion into that main idea. He also uses the elements of setting, clothing, and facial expressions to convey his theme. This painting is a demonstration of an artist’s attempt to influence a group of settlers through misinformation, which is otherwise known as propaganda.