1207 SW Broadway
The Lewis and Clark mural is located on the Sovereign Hotel in downtown Portland and overlooks the Oregon Historical Society plaza. The mural is painted using a special artistic technique called trompe l’oeil, a French phrase meaning “to fool the eye.” This technique makes painted images appear three-dimensional. By using trompe l’oeil, the artist turned the side of the Sovereign Hotel into a visual history lesson. The mural connects art, architecture, and history while reminding viewers of Portland’s connection to early exploration.
The mural shows scenes inspired by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which explored the western United States in the early 1800s. President Thomas Jefferson bought land called the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. This is the land he asked Lewis and Clark to explore from 1804 to 1806. The expedition covered 8000 miles on rivers and on foot. There were 43 people in the expedition and only one died – from appendicitis.
On the left, the mural depicts Merriwether Lewis and Sacajawea holding her baby Jean Baptiste Charbonneau. On the right is William Clark, his dog Seaman, and his slave York. Sacajawea was married to Toussaint Charbonneau, a French trapper, whom the expedition hired as its guide. Sacajawea was a very valuable addition to the expedition. She provided critical translations with the tribes they encountered on the expedition. Her presence signalled a peaceful, non-warrior party to native tribes. York was a valuable contributor to the expedition and although he was promised his freedom at the end of the journey, Lewis never set him free.
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Discussion Questions:
Why might an artist use trompe l’oeil on a large building?
How does this mural change the way people see the hotel?
Why is public art important to a city?
What other historical events could be shown in murals?
Vocabulary
Mural – A large painting on a wall or building.
Trompe l’oeil – An art technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional objects.
Expedition – A journey taken for a specific purpose, such as exploration.
Perspective – The way objects appear smaller or larger depending on distance.
Landmark – An important or well-known place.
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State Education Standards:
Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events, and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.12. Compare and contrast the history of the local community to other communities in the region. Historical Knowledge
Social Studies 3.17. Use a variety of historical sources (artifacts, pictures, documents) to identify factual evidence. Historical Thinking