Penn's Treaty with the Indians

He studied in Philadelphia but developed as a painter of historic subjects in London, where he was the second president of the Royal Academy of Arts.

The painting presents an idealized picture of interaction between the Indians and the Europeans, glossing over recent difficulties such as the Walking Purchase in 1737 and the treaty with the Six Nations in 1744, but harking back instead to Penn's wish for peace.

The muscular Indians are dressed and decorated in green, red and white, with feather headdresses, partly shaved heads, beaded armbands and headbands, and large earrings.

[3] The Europeans are shown in more sombre clothing typical of 1771, in shades of browns and greys, rather than the more decorated styles of 1682; Penn is picked out by his white neckcloth.

On Harrison's death, it was given to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the United States National Museum of Independence.

The print was copied in a smaller size by Robert Delaunay and published as Guillaume Penn Traite avec les Indiens.