It started in the year 1900 with a trip to Montana to photograph the ritual Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Tribe, and ended with photographer Edward Curtis having photographed 100 Native American tribes, producing 2,200 photographs that would come to comprise a 20 volume anthology called "The North American Indian," bankrolled by investor J.P. Morgan to the tune of $75,000. In the article written by Elisabeth Sherman for All That Is Interesting, you can see 33 of his most stunning portraits.
The photographs show Indigenous people in traditionally styled portraits, often in ceremonial dress, but also include snapshots that give the viewer insight into the daily reality of a people whose way of life was quickly vanishing due to colonization, forced relocation, and re-education. In his introduction to the first volume of the series, Curtis communicated his desire to document the cultures before their way of life was lost.
Chief Garfield - Jicarilla
Edward Curtis
Jicarilla Maiden
Edward S Curtis
In addition to photographing the native people, Curtis also recorded tribal music, language, traditional foods, clothing, ceremonies, and the other aspects of daily life. The photos were produced on an 11x14-inch view camera and had to be processed and painted onto glass plates in the field, using chemicals that had to be protected from the elements and the dangers of travel, making the 30-year undertaking, and resulting imagery, a truly spectacular feat. The resulting images hold a power that transcends time and still manages to captivate, even a century later.
[via All That Is Interesting]
Thank you for bring this historical feat to our attention.
Our local museum had this collection on display this summer. It was truly incredible what Edward Curtis did, and his dedication to doing it. I can't believe that I had never heard of his story before. The story is just as incredible as the photographs. There is a documentary available on Amazon Video called "Coming to Light: The Edward S. Curtis Story". I haven't watched it yet, but they do have a Trailer you can watch.
That must have been incredible to see in person.
Well, I am an Indian....Asian Indian that is, but never lived in India...I would also like to think language plays a part in this particular context. English is an imported language not indigenous to the North American Continent. Unless I read my history all wrong.
The images are wonderful. What has gotten into people these days? This is about photography. For cripes sake give politics a rest
I was fortunate enough to see the largest ever collection of Curtis' photographs (over 700) in Muskegon, Michigan, just a few weeks ago. It was a stunning display. In one room was a wall filled with a grid of mid-shot portraits, like these, with perhaps 40 photographs in a grid. It was impossible not to feel directly connected with each and every one of them, the eyes staring straight back at Curtis, and us, over the ages. We spent over 2 hours looking at these, and at no time did "museum fatigue" set in. In fact, I still think about these amazing portraits daily.