The Funeral of Atala, ca. 1811
Oil on canvas

Purchase with funds from the Forward Arts Foundation, 1990.1

This painting is based on a popular romantic
novel by Chateaubriand, which tells the tragic 
story of Atala, a half-Indian Christian maiden, 
and Chactas, a Natchez Indian, who fall in love
after she frees him from captivity.  Fearing she
will break the vow of chastity she to her
dying mother, Atala poisons herself.