While they were visiting Washington, they sat for a portrait to be painted by Charles Bird King, a noted artist of the time. As they grew in number, these portraits eventually filled a gallery in the War Department. Thomas McKenney dreamed that one day he would produce a portfolio of these images and written accounts of the historical characters they portrayed. After his retirement from Washington, McKenney conceived of a daring and rogue plan to realize his dream. One by one, the paintings were removed from the War Department and copies were made by another prominent artist, Henry Inman. The originals were then placed back from where they had been taken. Even he did not realize the importance of his contribution, because the original oil portraits were eventually destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian Institute.

The final work, the McKenney Hall Indian Gallery, was produced between 1836-1844. Philadelphia lithographer, Edward C. Biddle, drew the images on stone. The historical text was written primarily by James Hall. These richly hand-colored lithographs are today one the most important and attractive ethnographic works created in nineteenth century America.

The Oppenheimer Field Museum Edition of McKenney Hall¹s Fifty Best accurately conveys the vivid colors and pristine quality present in the originals in The Field Museum collection from which they were made. Each print is on Somerset acid-free, cotton rag watercolor paper imported from England.

Price range: Individual prints: $400-$800

Complete sets of McKenney Hall's Fifty Best: $8,500