One More Reduction

Above is the Caleb and Joel block reduced once more, and the impression printed in a wash of burnt umber. I think that might be all I need to do here. Once I add a few other elements to the print I'll re-evaluate to see if the color balance has changed and if I need to reduce the block once more to add even darker tones or not.

Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, who I have imagined as the figure on the right, and Joel Iacoombs were the first two native American students at Harvard, enrolled in the class of 1665. Both young men were Aquinnah Wampanoag from Martha's Vineyard and both were from well-to-do families. Caleb was the son of a sachem (chief) and Joel was the son of a Wampanoag interpreter who worked with missionary Thomas Mayhew. Both would have attended preparatory school for five years before passing the exams to enter Harvard. They were probably both around age 15 when they arrived.

Caleb was the only Native American student who actually graduated from Harvard Indian College. Unfortunately, he died of tuberculosis shortly after graduation at age 20. To the right is a photo of a bag from the Harvard Peabody Museum web site that is said to have belonged to Caleb.

Joel also met a tragic end. He would have been his class valedictorian, but he was killed in a ship-wreck off Nantucket just before graduation.