Canadian Landscape
The Mohawk wampum medallion (shell and leather), Sebastian Leclerc’s “Elijah Lifted up in a Fiery Chariot” (etching) and Elizabeth Simcoe’s “Castle Frank” (watercolour) are Canadian landscape art pieces made around the Eighteenth century. All three works are connected with Ontario, the Mohawk wampum medallion used Ontario liver shells, Sebastian Leclerc etched a Niagara Falls image, and Elizabeth Simcoe painted a watercolour York (Toronto). These three art works were produced in different contexts using a variety of formal qualities. This paper compares and contrasts these three 18th Century works describing the different techniques and materials used and the context in which they were produced.
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The Mohawk‘s wampum medallion is made of shells and leather. This Mohawk’s wampum medallion presents landscape art, because this medallion includes nature and uses Canadian natural resources – shells and leather. The Wampum is from the Middle and Late Woodland periods (beginning around AD 200), and the word "Wampum" comes from the Narragansett word for 'white shell beads'. This medallion’s Wampum beads are made in two colors: white ("Wòmpi") beads ("Wompam") from the Whelk shell ("Meteaûhock"), and purple-black ("Súki") beads ("Suckáuhock") from the growth rings of the Quahog (Poquahock) shell ("Suckauanaûsuck"). Wampum is normally used for engagement, marriage, and betrothal agreements, as well as for ceremony. (Tara Prindle, 1994-2008) In the Mohawk’s wampum medallion we can see the four arrows that point to the four directions - north, south, west and east. Also these four arrows could have a different meaning, which is four seasons - spring, summer, fall, and winter.
This white beaded circle seems to have few significant implications. This white circle expresses infinity and the transmigration of souls. Also viewed from a different standpoint, the white circle can mean the center, middle, mean, or medium....
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