Concord Museum

As cultural institutions around Massachusetts celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American War of Independence from British rule, Nipmuc artist Brittney Peauwe Wunnepog Walley encourages us to look back even further at what Indigenous folks were experiencing in Massachusetts 350 years ago.

Tiny, black dots speckle the surface of the sepia-toned portrait. The man in the picture sports a collared jacket over a work apron, his countenance framed by thin-rimmed spectacles, a beard, and tufts of hair that just about blend into the background.