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Curtis, Edward Sheriff (1868-1952)

Creator details

Name
Curtis, Edward Sheriff (1868-1952)
Nationality
American
Biography
Edward Sheriff Curtis was an American photographer and ethnologist born in 1868 in Wisconsin. He is best known for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures and traditions. Curtis began his career as a photographer in Seattle, where he developed an interest in the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. He later embarked on a 30-year project to document the customs and lifestyles of Native American tribes across the United States. His work resulted in a 20-volume set of books titled "The North American Indian," which included over 2,000 photographs and detailed descriptions of the tribes he encountered. Curtis' work was highly regarded for its artistic and anthropological value, and he received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. Despite facing financial difficulties and criticism for his romanticized portrayal of Native American life, Curtis continued to pursue his passion for documenting their culture until his death in 1952.
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Assets (230 in total)

Geronimo (1829-1909) Apache leader, 1905, photo by Edward S. Curtis
Sioux Chiefs, plate from `The North American Indian', 1907 (photogravure)
Hopi indian, wearing a Naja around the neck, c. 1921 (b/w photo)
Chief Joseph (1840-1904) c.1903 (b/w photo)
Bear's Belly, of the Arikara tribe, wrapped in a bearskin, 1890s-1920s (photo)
Aphrodite (In Water) 1920-25 (blue-toned gelatin silver print)
Mother and child, Apsaroke, c.1908 (b/w photo)
The march of the Sioux, c.1905 (b/w photo)
Weasel Tail (Apohsuyis). Portrait of Indian Chief of the Piegan tribe, 20th century (b/w photo)
Tobadzischini, a Navajo Indian, 1904 (b/w photo)
A Chief of the Blackfeet tribe, c.1907 (b/w photo)
Planning a raid. The Indians, in their impressive typical costumes, come together in extremely picturesque groups. This is a troop from Sioux Ogalala (Oglala), on a hill overlooking the Wounded Knee Valley in the Pine Ridge Reserve, South Dakota. Photo taken from volume 3 of Edward S. Curtis's encyclopedia (1868-1952) on North American Indians, with a foreword by Theodore Roosevelt. Between 1907 and 1930, 20 volumes were published.
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