James Kirkland “Chief Red Cloud” Painting

Painting by James Kirkland – My painting of Chief Red Cloud was inspired by a biography I had read, he was truly a heroic figure.

His name was inspired by unusually prominent Red Clouds overhead the land on his birth…

Chief Red Cloud, United several tribes to defend their lands from the invading USA army, this had never been done before as they had conflicted with each other for countless years…. It is possible that Red Cloud that a quality of being truly fearless was instrumental in garnering respect and motivating the tribes he had United, this may have been due to finding his true love Pretty Owl, hanging from a tree had taken her life
due to her broken heart learning that her Red Cloud had married another woman, it’s not known if she knew this was for purely for political reasons, even so this devastated Red Cloud, after that time he did not fear death but welcomed it…. Left of the painting I’ve included his son Chief Jack Red Cloud… the hills/mountains behind are true references to the black hills of North Dakota, as well as True references to Chief Red Cloud’s jacket & beadwork, their colors were confirmed by the curator of the Lakota Sioux museum, Pine Ridge North Dakota, the TeePees are from the best available references, all the images in this painting are a composite of the best available detailed reference available to me, I was committed to an accurate recreation of the Lakota Sioux, their life & their heroic Chief Red Cloud.