The Funeral of Atala, ca. 1811 
Oil on canvas 

Purchase with funds from the Forward Arts Foundation, 1990.1 

This painting is based on a popular romantic 
novel by Chateaubriand, which tells the tragic 
story of Atala, a half-Indian Christian maiden, 
and Chactas, a Natchez Indian, who fall in love 
after she frees him from captivity.  Fearing she 
will break the vow of chastity she to her 
dying mother, Atala poisons herself.