After looking at all these representations of Pocahontas, I'm surprised that only one is said to be created as a portrait, where the artist was with her while making the piece. All the other representations are the ones I've always imagined myself. In these she has long flowing hair, simple earth-toned clothing, and is barefoot. This is probably a stereotypical image of her, but that's what a lot of the paintings have her looking like.
I'm surprised that the one where she's in English dress doesn't make her look more favorable. John Rolfe is writing to the Queen trying to convince her that Pocahontas is a noble young woman who he is going to convert to Christianity, marry, and bring back to England. In his writing he's trying to make her look good, and I assumed that was the goal with the painting also. In the portraits of the Queen, she looks majestic and powerful, elegant and beautiful, without expressing much emotion. Pocahontas doesn't look like this. She looks tired, haggard, and out-of-place. Although it could be the lighting of the space making her eyes look tired, it seems like her whole face and posture reflect her discomfort. She is awkwardly holding some peacock feathers and leaning forward slightly. The artist had the ability to make her look like she belonged in England and was part of their culture, but he didn't. Maybe he's trying to show us something, that maybe she doesn't belong there.
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