Artwork
Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation
Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation is an ink print by the Baroque artist John Simon. It dates from 1710 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
John Simon’s 1710 mezzotint, titled *Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation*, presents a standing figure in a forested backdrop. The subject, identified as a Native American leader, is depicted in a loose robe over a tunic, a belt with a small dagger, and a curved staff in his left hand, while a small dog rests at his feet.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait conveys authority through the figure’s solemn expression, upright posture, and regal accessories such as the staff, suggesting a status of leadership within his community, here termed the River Nation.
Technique & Style
Executed in mezzotone on laid paper, the image employs the Baroque penchant for dramatic contrast and fine detail, rendering textures of fabric, foliage, and the animal with subtle tonal gradations characteristic of the medium.
History & Provenance
Simon, an English engraver of French Huguenot origin, was active in the early eighteenth century and worked closely with portraitist Godfrey Kneller. His prolific mezzotint production helped circulate portraiture of notable figures, and this print reflects that commercial and artistic network.
Context
The work aligns with contemporary European interest in documenting exotic peoples, a trend that combined curiosity about distant cultures with the period’s broader fascination with individual likenesses rendered in print.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Simon, anglicized as John Simon (also spelled Simons; c. 1675–1751) was an English mezzotint engraver and print publisher of French Huguenot birth, particularly known for his portraits. Notably associated with the…
