Planning the Final Composition

While the glue sizing is drying on the canvas, I've made some new sketches and adjustments to the composition. The coloring ended up a little on the yellow side. I found a lot of good ideas in the exhibition catalog from the Iroquois exhibition in Bonn that I obtained through the Interlibrary Loan service at Siena's Standish Library. I only have the book for a short time, so I've been trying to make good use of it. In the book there are great reproductions of period drawings and commemorative portraits by the English Court painter Johannes Verelst. It was from his paintings of the Four Mohawk Kings that I had the idea to place a turtle near St. Kateri's feet. This helps to reinforce her identity as Mohawk, and as a member of the Turtle Clan. 

I'm also forming a much better understanding of the Haudenosaunee dress during the late 17th century. The pencil sketch shows a patterned border and beadwork characteristic of the Mohawk.