Meriwether Lewis in Shoshone Dress

This remarkable watercolor shows Meriwether Lewis wearing a Shoshone tippet (ceremonial cloak made of ermine skins and otter fur) presented to him during the expedition. It is one of the most distinctive and recognizable portraits from the expedition era, showing Lewis in frontier dress that symbolized the cultural exchanges central to the journey. The ermine tippet was later depicted in the more famous Charles Willson Peale portrait of Lewis.