Hudson's Bay Blanket

This painting was posed by Shenandoah Martineau, a young girl of mixed French and Indian ancestry. Although she belongs to the Paiute tribe of the American West, the Hudson's Bay blanket and the feathers she displays are after the manner of Indian Tribes in colder regions farther north.

The title is taken from the blanket. Hudson's Bay blankets were manufactured in England and Scotland for the famous Hudson's Bay Company. They were used for trade with the Indians and were highly prized by them. This particular type of blanket is distinguished by the four short black stripes.