Newlyweds - Indian woman and mountain man by artist Martin Grelle

Newlyweds by artist Martin Grelle

 

During the fur trade era, centered in the Rocky Mountains of the American West, trappers often took Indian girls for their wives. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement for obvious reasons, and the Indian girls could look forward to receiving many material things from their white husbands that they might not be provided with otherwise; for the man, a loving companion capable of cooking, cleaning & tanning hides, making clothes, keeping camp, etc.

Done as a time limited Personal Commission in 2009.