“Penn’s Treaty” is an artwork created by Edward Hicks in 1847, belonging to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. The genre of the artwork is religious painting.
The artwork depicts a historical event in which William Penn, the founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, is shown engaging in a treaty with the Lenape Native Americans. The setting is in an outdoor environment, with a large tree forming a central canopy over the figures involved in the treaty. Native American men, adorned in traditional clothing and headdresses, are seated and standing to the left, while European men, dressed in colonial attire, stand to the right. The background features natural scenery, including trees and a river, with structures and additional figures visible in the distance. The entire composition captures a moment of negotiation and peaceful interaction amidst a serene landscape.
