Framed The Trail of Tears by Robert Lindneux

Robert Lindneux’s The Trail of Tears captures the forced removal of the Cherokee people in the late 1830s, when thousands were relocated to what is now Oklahoma under the Indian Removal Act. Painted in the early 20th century, Lindneux’s work reflects a somber, reflective style rather than dramatic action, emphasizing exhaustion, sorrow, and dignity amid suffering. The long procession of Native families, often shown moving through cold, barren landscapes, underscores the brutal conditions—disease, hunger, and exposure—that led to the deaths of roughly 4,000 Cherokee.