Miller considered the Indians of the American West as the most special specimens of what was known as the natural man, citizens of the wilderness whose lifeways and physical attributes had not been spoiled by exposure to civilized habits. He phrased it a bit crudely when he wrote that “No part of the world (in all probability) has ever presented specimens of savage nature that will bear comparison with our North American Indians.”
That persuasion was articulated in Miller’s caption for this watercolor. He said he viewed the West as a vast studio, filled with scenes of romantic and perfectly formed models anointed by the divine, untrammeled crucible of pure nature. “The sculptor and Historical painter will in vain look for finer models, or greater variety of costume and equipments,” he wrote (Ross, 152). This portrayal of a quiet idyll along the journey west reinforces Miller’s vision of a pristine land and untainted native population.
