The Discovery of the Mississippi by De Soto

Of all the paintings I have seen of European settlers moving west, this painting from 1853 by William Henry Powell is the most prominent. It is titled The Discovery of the Mississippi by De Soto and shows, like so many other pieces of art based on this period, the European settlers moving further west and the submission from Native American people. The reason why this painting has so much resonance in particular, is the fact that is the first discovery by European settlers of one of America’s biggest landmarks and most important resources; the discovery of the Mississippi River will go on to represent a major conquest for settlers, which fits in with the idea of ‘Manifest Destiny.’ Should the European settlers have the resources to exploit the river, it will inevitably move them further west and make their frontier inevitable.

The painting shows Hernando de Soto, a Spanish conquistador, leading his troops to the river in spite of the Native American settlement that has already set up camp there. The Spanish outnumber the Natives greatly, and everything about their appearance suggests a modern, burgeoning settlement that is on the move. Their clothes suggest military and many of the men on horseback hold swords and spears and are dressed in helmets; in the bottom right corner, a canon is being dragged towards the coastline. Clearly they are willing to overpower the Natives by force if necessary. The Natives, by contrast are sparsely clothed, huddled together and look frightened: their whole appearance signifying submission and the idea that they are being cornered the further Europeans push them to the west.

As if to mark their territory on this settlement, the Europeans are erecting a crucifix in the bottom right corner with a monk says a prayer next to it. This shows the importance of religion in these settlements, both as a means of trying to convert the Native people and to stamp their authority on this new territory. In the background, the lightest part of the picture shows the Mississippi River stretching on endlessly, representing a further ambition for the Europeans to continue their journey westwards and continue prospering.

Altogether, this definitely backs up the idea of ‘Manifest Destiny;’ there are clear signs represented here of European power and authority over the Native Americans who surrender in their presence. Meanwhile the conquest of another great American resource only fuels extra desire to the objective of continuing west and expanding the United States.

http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/historic-rotunda-paintings/discovery-mississippi-by-de-soto

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/desoto/dsintro.html