Artwork
He for His Bleeding Country Prays to Heaven
He for His Bleeding Country Prays to Heaven is an ink print by the Romanticist artist H. G. Watkins. It dates from 1846 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
He for His Bleeding Country Prays to Heaven is an engraving created by H. G. Watkins in 1846, executed in black on wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a tense confrontation between two groups: European soldiers and civilians on one side, and Indigenous men on the other. A kneeling woman and a robed figure occupy the center, suggesting a plea for peace or forgiveness, underscored by the accompanying text.
Technique & Style
The work is a black-and-white engraving, characterized by its dramatic rendering of a chaotic scene, with detailed depictions of figures and their interactions.
Context
The engraving's themes and imagery suggest a commentary on conflict, possibly referencing historical events involving European settlers and Indigenous populations.
Artist & collection
Mute, Gazing, Agonizing...
Aeneas Shown the Body of Pallas from Virgil's "Aeneid"
The Lovely Gertrude, Safe from Present Harm
A Song of Parting to the Boy He Sung
Jean-Philippe-Guy Le Gentil, Comte de Paroy, Expelled from David's Studio
Singers' Contest on the Wartburg
And Take, She Said, This Token Far Away...
Delightful Wyoming!
A Form Has Rushed amidst Them from the Dark
