U.S. artist George Catlin described the beautiful Lakota (Teton Sioux) Tchon-su-mons-ka (Sandbar) as “very richly dressed, the upper part of her garment being almost literally covered with brass buttons; and her hair, which was inimitably beautiful and soft, and glossy as silk, fell over her shoulders in great profusion, and in beautiful waves, produced by the condition in which it is generally kept in braids, giving to it, when combed out, a waving form, adding much to its native appearance, which is invariably straight and graceless . . . This woman is at present the wife of a white man by the name of Chardon, a Frenchman, who has been many years in the employment of the American Fur Company, in the character of a Trader and Interpreter.”
Francis A. Chardon was born in Philadelphia. After his service in the War of 1812, he entered the fur trade. With Chardon, Tchon-su-mons-ka had two children: Francis Bolivar (1832) and Andrew Jackson (1835). Bolivar was sent to Philadelphia where he was raised by Chardon’s parents. He later attended St. Louis University. Andrew Jackson Chardon died of smallpox in 1837, a few months after his mother, Tchon-su-mons-ka, had passed away.
Catlin painted this portrait at Fort Pierre (in present-day South Dakota) in 1832. Tchon-su-mons-ka’s skin is a rich, dark brown tone, and she possesses long, wavy black hair that cascades down to her chest. Her expression is serious, with a slight blend of melancholy and curiosity in her eyes, which are dark and expressive, looking off to the our left. She has a small, dark mark on her forehead, possibly a traditional adornment, and there are faint red markings on her scalp, cheeks, and forearms.
Her attire consists of a light-colored tunic, embellished with small, round, brass buttons sewn onto the chest area in irregular lines, adding texture and intricacy to the outfit. The edges of her sleeves have fringe. She wears multiple strands of beaded necklaces and several bracelets and rings.
“Tchón-su-móns-ka, Sand Bar, Wife of the Trader François Chardon by George Catlin (American) - Oil on canvas / 1832 - Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington DC) #WomenInArt #art #PortraitofaWoman #SAAM #Smithsonian #ArtText #AmericanArt #lakota #GeorgeCatlin #artwork #catlin #NativeAmerican