Edward S. Curtis Portraits: The Many Faces of the Native American

Edward S. Curtis Portraits: The Many Faces of the Native American

Wayne Youngblood
$19.99
Publication Date: October 24th, 2017
Publisher:
Chartwell Books
ISBN:
9780785835592
Pages:
256

Description

In 1906 J.P. Morgan commissioned Edward S. Curtis to produce a series of books depicting Native American life. Curtis’ goal was to not just photograph but to document as much of traditional Native life as possible before it disappeared.

During his project, Curtis made over 10,000 wax cylinder recordings of Native languages and music, and took over 40,000 photographs of peoples from over eighty tribes.

He recorded tribal lore and history, and he described traditional foods, housing, garments, recreation, ceremonies, and funeral customs. He wrote biographical sketches of tribal leaders, and his material, in most cases, is the only recorded history of these amazing peoples.

Curtis had a remarkable knack for portraiture. His skill at capturing the intensity of his subjects, the grim reality of their surroundings, and the unquenchable spirit of the people was second to none. From Alaska to Mexico, Edward S. Curtis Portraits: The Many Face of the Native American features over 250 portraits in a compact volume.

About the Author

Wayne Youngblood grew up near the banks of the Rio Grande in New Mexico. He is a history lover who spent several years studying the pony express and the Oregon and Mormon trails while living in Nebraska. He is a writer/editor for a publication that caters to record collectors, has written books on subjects ranging from stamp collecting to colonial American history and lives in the wilds of central Wisconsin with his wife.