Edward Curtis Prints

Edward Curtis was an American ethnologist and photographer famous for his portraits conveying Native life and regalia as interpreted before contact with Europeans. In 1906 J.P. Morgan commissioned Curtis $75,000 to produce a photographic series titled The North American Indian, to preserve what was believed to be dying lifeways of North America’s Indigenous peoples. The 20-year project became Curtis’ passion, as Native American cultures and traditions were rapidly changing due to cultural loss during the Reservation Period (1850-1887) and subsequent Assimilation Period (1887-1934). In producing this series, Curtis acquitted himself well with his collaborators and developed harmonious relations with numerous Tribes. As a result, he was often invited to observe ceremonies, and learn aspects of languages and origin stories, which were banned at the time.

In its 25 volumes, The North American Indian series consists of over 40,000 photographs, which were transferred into 500 original goldtone (or orotone) glass plates. Over the course of the project, Curtis refined this photographic technique through a series of novel applications that he invented to enhance highlights, shadows and sepia tone effects. He coined this procedure the ‘Curt-Tone Process’ to acknowledge the distinction from the ambrotype and glass plating technique that was popular at the time. These images, however, represent only one facet of his work on this monumental project as Curtis captured more than 10,000 recordings of songs and stories and used motion picture films to record parts of ceremonies.

When Curtis started The North American Indian shortly after the turn of the 20th century his works were highly sought after. Interest in these works waned by the end of this project, however, as the country became gripped in the Great Depression and criticism of how Native peoples were depicted in his images emerged. Curtis’ use of staging received increased scrutiny, calling into question the authenticity of how his photographic subjects were depicted. Images of regal individuals wearing headdresses and other prestigious articles contrasted sharply with the reality of Native life at the time, which was characterized by the loss of language and land, through the process of being forcibly assimilated into Western culture. The cultural accuracy of some clothing worn by his photographic subjects created another opportunity for critique as the reality of the time necessitated a movement away from traditional garments and styles. In short, although many Curtis’ images are regarded as masterworks of photography, many consider them as romanticized portrayals of a bygone era. Despite the questions of accuracy, The American Indian is regarded as an historically significant contribution to photography, particularly through his development of state-of-the art emulsion techniques.

Visitors to The Indian Museum of North America® can enjoy over 100 Curtis prints in the lower level of the Native American Educational and Cultural Center® (NAECC).