Visual Conventions

  John Taylor, who's a journalist hired by Leslie's Illustrated Gazette and Native Ameican artist Howling Wolf, a member of the Cheyenne tribe, both depict the signing of the peace treaty at Medicine Lodge Creek in Kansas. The peace treaty took place in October 1867 between several Native American tribes and the United States Government. Although both have drawn an image of the same event taking place, their point of view coming from two different cultures significantly contrast with one another. For example, Howling's depiction would be referred to as abstract art, whereas John Taylor's art would be referred to as representational art.
  Howling Wolf's colorful ledger drawing is drawn from a hilltop view point perspective in which he used pencil, crayon, and ink to make his art work. The identity of each seperate tribe and even each individual is revealed through the iconography of the decoration of their respective dress. Wolf depicts space by not limiting himself to the grove where the gathering took place, but by further expanding the view of the image. He drew many tipis, a horse, and the Medicine Lodge Creek which suggests the importance and the respect his cultue has for the environment.
  However in John Taylor's drawing he directs you to center of his image. His illustration is based on sketches done at the scene which may have had some influence to not use color but rather to use both light and shading to constuct a center and background to differentiate space. Unlike Wolf's image, John limited his view to the grove itself. In his drawing he potrays Native American tribes as one of the same with no identity. It's this depiction upon others that make his drawing ethnocentric which makes me believe that  he perhaps didn't feel each particular tribe had their own identity.
  Furthermore the absence of women in Taylor's depiction illustrates the insignificance women have in his culture at that time period. In Howlings depiction however he includes a large number of women, who are attentively sitting with their back to the viewer upon the signing of the peace treaty, which the women happen to be important figures in his culture.
  Even though the two images potray the same event it doesn't mean they tell the same story. At first glance it may seem it does, but the more you analyze it the more the story starts to unfold. In this instance the point of view of two different cultures is how the story is told even if they contrast with one another.