Visual Literacy - Essay Example

Question Howling Wolf’s Treaty Signing at Medicine appears, at first blush, to be a relatively simplistic and portrayal of the moment of the treaty signing, especially when compared to John Taylor’s more realistic, detailed approach. Yet Howling Wolf’s is also, in many ways, more authentic to the event. His portray recalls to the viewer the fact that this momentous treaty signing affected the lives and livelihoods of a robust and vibrant community. He portrays not just the people involved, but also the geography (through rivers) and most importantly the houses and creation of the indigenous people.

Taylor, by refusing to show any creations or structures of the indigenous people, represents them as a homeless, wandering band, whereas Howling Wolf portrays a thriving community. Question 2 John Taylor’s treaty signing portrays an entirely male cast, ignoring the many indigenous women present at the treaty signing. He probably did not make an active decision to exclude the women from this work, but instead made what he would have considered important artistic decisions. Taylor clearly believed that this treaty signing was an important event, as he chose to record it in such a detailed work.

He probably also thought that, as an artist, his duty was to emphasize the important aspects of the event, while not portraying other things that would clutter his work. He, coming from a white patriarchal background probably believed on every level that indigenous women were of little worth, and thus the idea of recording them as part of an important event probably did not even cross his mind.