Proof state (before title) of this extraordinary frontier scene engraving.
This evocative print, titled Too Near the War-Path, is the work of George Henry Boughton and engraved by William Henry Simmons.
The scene captures a tense moment on the American frontier, depicted through the figures of a frontiersman and a woman. The frontiersman, dressed in buckskins and a coon-skin cap, stands alert with a rifle in hand, exuding a sense of readiness and vigilance. Beside him, a woman, who holds a bonnet, leans against the tree, her expression reflecting a mixture of apprehension and dependency. The dense forest setting enhances the sense of isolation and vulnerability, while in the background, the presence of Native Americans suggests imminent danger.
This print not only illustrates a historical period marked by frontier challenges and conflicts but also captures the human emotions of fear and resilience in the face of uncertainty.