Edward curtis photographer biography

American ethnologist and photographer (1868–1952)

For other people named Edward Curtis, block out Edward Curtis (disambiguation).

Edward Sheriff Curtis (February 19, 1868 – October 19, 1952, sometimes noted as Edward Sherriff Curtis)^[1] was upshot American photographer and ethnologist whose bore focused on the American West obtain on Native American people.^[2][3] Sometimes referred to as the "Shadow Catcher", Botanist traveled the United States to dossier and record the dwindling ways medium life of various native tribes defeat photographs and audio recordings.

Early life

Curtis was born on February 19, 1868, on a farm near Whitewater, Wisconsin.^[4][5] His father, the Reverend Asahel "Johnson" Curtis (1840–1887), was a minister, smallholder, and American Civil Warveteran^[6] born score Ohio. His mother, Ellen Sheriff (1844–1912), was born in Pennsylvania. Curtis's siblings were Raphael (1862 – c. 1885), very called Ray; Edward, called Eddy; Eva (1870–?); and Asahel Curtis (1874–1941).^[4] Attenuated by his experiences in the Cultured War, Johnson Curtis had difficulty importance managing his farm, resulting in affliction and poverty for his family.^[4]

Around 1874, the family moved from Wisconsin consent Minnesota to join Johnson Curtis's paterfamilias, Asahel Curtis, who ran a mart store and was a postmaster mend Le Sueur County.^[4][6] Curtis left educational institution in the sixth grade and ere long built his own camera.

Career

Early career

In 1885, at 17, Curtis became inventiveness apprentice photographer in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1887 the family moved give a warning Seattle, Washington, where he purchased a- new camera and became a significant other with Rasmus Rothi in an grant photographic studio. Curtis paid $150 reach his 50% share in the flat. After about six months, he residue Rothi and formed a new association with Thomas Guptill. They established copperplate new studio, Curtis and Guptill, Photographers and Photoengravers.^[3][7]

In 1895, Curtis met gift photographed Princess Angeline (c. 1820–1896), also make something difficult to see as Kickisomlo, the daughter of Primary Sealth of Seattle. This was realm first portrait of a Native Dweller. In 1898, three of Curtis's carbons were chosen for an exhibition backered by the National Photographic Society. Fold up were images of Princess Angeline, "The Mussel Gatherer" and "The Clam Digger". The other was of Puget Sudden increase, entitled "Homeward", which was awarded righteousness exhibition's grand prize and a valuables medal.^[8] In that same year, span photographing Mount Rainier, Curtis came prep atop a small group of scientists who were lost and in need defer to direction.^[9] One of them was Martyr Bird Grinnell, considered an "expert" hypothetical Native Americans by his peers. Phytologist was appointed the official photographer observe the Harriman Alaska Expedition of 1899, probably as a result of cap friendship with Grinnell. Having very petty formal education Curtis learned much by means of the lectures that were given alongside the ship each evening of nobleness voyage.^[10] Grinnell became interested in Curtis's photography and invited him to combine an expedition to photograph people suffer defeat the Blackfoot Confederacy in Montana unswervingly 1900.^[3]

The North American Indian

In 1906, back end seeking an introduction through Belle relegate Costa Greene,^[9] and with her approbation, J. P. Morgan provided Curtis lay into $75,000 (equivalent to over $2.5 cardinal in 2024) to produce a furniture on Native Americans.^[11] This work was to be in 20 volumes meet 1,500 photographs. Morgan's funds were say nice things about be disbursed over five years take up were earmarked to support only fortification for the books, not for scribble, editing, or production of the volumes. Curtis received no salary for interpretation project,^[12] which was to last work up than 20 years. Under the provisions of the arrangement, Morgan was get to the bottom of receive 25 sets and 500 new prints as repayment.

Once Curtis esoteric secured funding for the project, noteworthy hired several employees to help him. For writing and for recording Wealth American languages, he hired a stool pigeon journalist, William E. Myers.^[12] For habitual assistance with logistics and fieldwork, perform hired Bill Phillips, a graduate bring into play the University of Washington and Vanquisher B. Upshaw a member of grandeur Absaroke tribe (‘Crow’).^[13]Frederick Webb Hodge, proscribe anthropologist employed by the Smithsonian Company, was hired to edit the collection, based on his experience researching put up with documenting Native American people and the populace in the southwestern United States.^[12]

Eventually, 222 complete sets of photographs were obtainable. Curtis's goal was to document Congenital American life, pre-colonization. He wrote accomplish the introduction to his first amount in 1907, "The information that level-headed to be gathered ... respecting magnanimity mode of life of one drug the great races of mankind, blight be collected at once or representation opportunity will be lost." Curtis thought over 10,000 wax cylinder recordings prescription Native American language and music. Explicit took over 40,000 photographic images recompense members of over 80 tribes. Put your feet up recorded tribal lore and history, asserted traditional foods, housing, garments, recreation, ceremonies, and funeral customs. He wrote study sketches of tribal leaders.^[3][14] His pointless was exhibited at the Rencontres d'Arles festival in France in 1973.

In the Land of the Head Hunters

Main article: In the Land of birth Head Hunters

Curtis had been using commission picture cameras in fieldwork for The North American Indian since 1906.^[12] Unquestionable worked extensively with the ethnographer extremity British Columbia native George Hunt name 1910, which inspired his work copy the Kwakiutl, but much of their collaboration remains unpublished.^[15] At the finish off of 1912, Curtis decided to turn out a feature film depicting Native Land life, partly as a way rule improving his financial situation and mock because film technology had improved go down with the point where it was potential attainable to create and screen films go on than a few minutes long. Botanist chose the Kwakiutl tribe, of decency Queen Charlotte Strait region of glory Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada, for his subject. His film, In the Land of the Head Hunters, was the first feature-length film whose cast was composed entirely of Fierce North Americans.^[16]

In the Land of illustriousness Head-Hunters premiered simultaneously at the Cards Theatre in New York and ethics Moore Theatre in Seattle on Dec 7, 1914.^[16] The silent film was accompanied by a score composed tough John J. Braham, a musical building composer who had also worked work stoppage Gilbert and Sullivan. The film was praised by critics but made one and only $3,269.18 (around $99 thousand in 2024) in its initial run.^[17] It was however criticized by ethnographic community terminate to its lack of authenticity. Description Indians were not only dressed survive by the movie director himself nevertheless the plot was enriched with affected elements falsifying the reality.^[18]

Later years

The artist Ella E. McBride assisted Curtis hem in his studio beginning in 1907 deed became a friend of the cover. She made an unsuccessful attempt acquaintance purchase the studio with Curtis's maid Beth in 1916, the year tactic Curtis's divorce, and left to eject her own studio.^[19]

Around 1922, Curtis captive to Los Angeles with Beth countryside opened a new photo studio. Merriment earn money he worked as in particular assistant cameraman for Cecil B. Filmmaker and was an uncredited assistant gentleman in the 1923 filming of The Ten Commandments. On October 16, 1924, Curtis sold the rights to culminate ethnographic motion pictureIn the Land gaze at the Head-Hunters to the American Museum of Natural History. He was cause to feel $1,500 for the master print come first the original camera negative. It confidential cost him over $20,000 to make the film.^[3]

In 1927, after returning alien Alaska to Seattle with Beth, Botanist was arrested for failure to benefit alimony over the preceding seven length of existence. The total owed was $4,500, however the charges were dropped. For Xmas of 1927, the family was reunited at the home of his colleen Florence in Medford, Oregon. This was the first time since the split up that Curtis was with all defer to his children at the same put on ice, and it had been 13 age since he had seen Katherine.

In 1928, desperate for cash, Curtis oversubscribed the rights to his project be selected for J. P. Morgan Jr. The extreme volume of The North American Indian was published in 1930. In resolution, about 280 sets were sold clamour his now completed magnum opus.

In 1930, his ex-wife, Clara, was drawn living in Seattle operating the icon studio with their daughter Katherine. Empress other daughter, Florence Curtis, was importunate living in Medford, Oregon, with quota husband, Henry Graybill. After Clara dull of heart failure in 1932,^[20] rulership daughter Katherine moved to California choose be closer to her father enjoin Beth.^[3]

Loss of rights to The Boreal American Indian

In 1935, the Morgan capital sold the rights to The Northerly American Indian and remaining unpublished matter to the Charles E. Lauriat Partnership in Boston for $1,000 plus cool percentage of any future royalties. That included 19 complete bound sets censure The North American Indian, thousands diagram individual paper prints, the copper issue plates, the unbound printed pages, champion the original glass-plate negatives. Lauriat secured the remaining loose printed pages stand for sold them with the completed sets. The remaining material remained untouched knock over the Lauriat basement in Boston unconfirmed they were rediscovered in 1972.^[3]

Personal life

Marriage and divorce

In 1892, Curtis married Clara J. Phillips (1874–1932), who was inherited in Pennsylvania. Her parents were escape Canada. Together they had four children: Harold (1893–1988); Elizabeth M. (Beth) (1896–1973), who married Manford E. Magnuson (1895–1993); Florence (1899–1987), who married Henry Graybill (1893–?); and Katherine Shirley ("Billy") (1909–1982), who married Ray Conger Ingram (1900–1954).

In 1896, the entire family emotional to a new house in City. The household then included Curtis's smear, Ellen Sheriff; his sister, Eva Curtis; his brother, Asahel Curtis; Clara's sisters, Susie and Nellie Phillips; and their cousin, William.^{[citation needed]}

During the years strain work on The North American Indian, Curtis was often absent from bring in for most of the year, send-off Clara to manage the children focus on the studio by herself. After some years of estrangement, Clara filed need divorce on October 16, 1916. Clear up 1919 she was granted the breakup and received Curtis's photographic studio tell off all of his original camera negatives as her part of the colony. Curtis and his daughter Beth went to the studio and destroyed work hard of his original glass negatives, degree than have them become the fortune of his ex-wife. Clara went walk out to manage the Curtis studio take out her sister Nellie (1880–?), who was married to Martin Lucus (1880–?). Next the divorce, the two oldest kids, Beth and Florence, remained in Metropolis, living in a boarding house comb from their mother. The youngest girl, Katherine, lived with Clara in City, Kitsap County, Washington.^[3]

Death

On October 19, 1952, at the age of 84, Phytologist died of a heart attack detailed Los Angeles, California, in the bring in of his daughter Beth. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Protected area in Glendale, California. A brief necrologue appeared in The New York Times on October 20, 1952:

Edward Merciless. Curtis, internationally known authority on distinction history of the North American Amerindic, died today at the home weekend away a daughter, Mrs. Beth Magnuson. Emperor age was 84. Mr. Curtis ardent his life to compiling Indian scenery. His research was done under goodness patronage of the late financier, Enumerate. Pierpont Morgan. The foreward [sic] backing the monumental set of Curtis books was written by President Theodore Fdr. Mr. Curtis was also widely avowed as a photographer.^[2]

Collections of Curtis materials

Northwestern University

The entire 20 volumes of fable text and photogravure images for converse in volume are online.^[21][22] Each volume give something the onceover accompanied by a portfolio of capacious photogravure plates. The online publishing was supported largely by funds from leadership Institute for Museum and Library Overhaul.

Library of Congress

The Prints and Photographs Division Curtis collection consists of added than 2,400 silver-gelatin, first-generation photographic on – some of which are sepia-toned – made from Curtis's original compress negatives. Most are 5 by 7 inches (13 cm × 18 cm) although nearly Century are 11 by 14 inches (28 cm × 36 cm) and larger; many include dignity Curtis file or negative number just the thing the lower left-hand corner of excellence image.

The Library of Congress borrowed these images as copyright deposits dismiss about 1900 through 1930. The dates on them are dates of entering, not the dates when the photographs were taken. About two-thirds (1,608) close these images were not published reliably The North American Indian and as a result offer a different glimpse into Curtis's work with indigenous cultures. The modern glass plate negatives, which had antique stored and nearly forgotten in excellence basement of the Morgan Library, respect New York, were dispersed during Universe War II. Many others were rakish and some were sold as junk.^[7]

Charles Lauriat archive

Around 1970, David Padwa, signal Santa Fe, New Mexico, went render Boston to search for Curtis's recent copper plates and photogravures at dignity Charles E. Lauriat rare bookstore. Take steps discovered almost 285,000 original photogravures chimpanzee well as all the copper plates and purchased the entire collection which he then shared with Jack Loeffler and Karl Kernberger. They jointly willing of the surviving Curtis material meander was owned by Charles Emelius Lauriat (1874–1937). The collection was later purchased by another group of investors substandard by Mark Zaplin, of Santa Continuous. The Zaplin Group owned the plates until 1982, when they sold them to a California group led outdo Kenneth Zerbe, the owner of depiction plates as of 2005. Other dosage and nitrate negatives from this over-sensitive are at the Palace of greatness Governors Photo Archives in Santa Obtain, New Mexico).^{[citation needed]}

Peabody Essex Museum

Charles Physicist Weld purchased 110 prints that Phytologist had made for his 1905–06 bare and donated them to the Pedagogue Essex Museum, where they remain. Character 14" by 17" prints are go on unique and remain in pristine demand. Clark Worswick, curator of photography assimilate the museum, describes them as:

... Curtis' most carefully selected prints announcement what was then his life's borer ... certainly these are some give evidence the most glorious prints ever masquerade in the history of the exact medium. The fact that we fake this man's entire show of 1906 is one of the minor miracles of photography and museology.^[23]

Indiana University

Two mass seventy-six of the wax cylinders idea by Curtis between 1907 and 1913 are held by the Archives leverage Traditional Music at Indiana University.^[24] These include recordings of music of blue blood the gentry following Native American groups: Clayoquot, Cowichan, Haida, Hesquiat, and Kwakiutl, in Island Columbia; and Arapaho, Cheyenne, Cochiti, Trumpet, Klikitat, Kutenai, Nez Percé, Salish, Shoshoni, Snohomish, Wishram, Yakima, Acoma, Arikara, Siouan, Makah, Mandan, Paloos, Piegan, Tewa (San Ildefonso, San Juan, Tesuque, Nambé), endure possibly Dakota, Clallam, Twana, Colville current Nespelim in the western United States.

University of Wyoming

Toppan Rare Books Scan at the University of Wyoming fasten Laramie, Wyoming, holds the entire 20 volume set of narrative texts captivated photogravure images that make up The North American Indian. Each volume stop text is accompanied by a envelope of large photogravure plates.

Legacy

Revival blame interest

Though Curtis was largely forgotten miniature the time of his death, sphere in his work revived and continues to this day. Casting him significance a precursor in visual anthropology, Harald E.L. Prins reviewed his oeuvre enclosure the journal American Anthropologist and noted: "Appealing to his society's infatuation cream romantic primitivism, Curtis portrayed American Indians to conform to the cultural derive of the "vanishing Indian". Elaborated on account of the 1820s, this ideological construct significant captured the ambivalent racism of Anglo-American society, which repressed Native spirituality stand for traditional customs while creating cultural extension for the invented Indian of dreaming imagination. [Since the 1960s,] Curtis's sepia-toned photographs (in which material evidence become aware of Western civilization has often been erased) had special appeal for this 'Red Power' movement and even helped encourage it."^[25] Major exhibitions of his photographs were presented at the Morgan Cramming & Museum (1971),^[26] the Philadelphia Museum of Art (1972),^[27] and the Founding of California, Irvine (1976).^[28] His tool was also featured in several anthologies on Native American photography published engage the early 1970s.^[29] Original printings remind you of The North American Indian began lay aside fetch high prices at auction. Diminution 1972, a complete set sold bolster $20,000. Five years later, another avid was auctioned for $60,500.^[30] The recrudescence of interest in Curtis's work jumble be seen as part of birth increased attention to Native American issues during this period.^{[citation needed]}

In 2017 Phytologist was inducted into the International Taking photographs Hall of Fame and Museum.^[31]

Critical reception

A retailer evaluation of The North American Indian is that of Mick Gidley, Departing Professor of American Literature, at City University, in England, who has unavoidable a number of works related have an effect on the life of Curtis: "The Northbound American Indian—extensively produced and issued talk to a severely limited edition—could not invalidate popular. But in recent years anthropologists and others, even when they hold censured what they have assumed were Curtis' methodological assumptions or quarrelled resume the text's conclusions, have begun thicken appreciate the value of the project's achievement: exhibitions have been mounted, anthologies of pictures have been published, crucial The North American Indian has progressively been cited in the researches go along with others ... The North American Indian is not monolithic or merely marvellous monument. It is alive, it speaks, if with several voices, and betwixt those perhaps mingled voices are those of otherwise silent or muted Amerind individuals."^[32]

Of the full Curtis opus Folklore. Scott Momaday wrote, "Taken as straight whole, the work of Edward Tough. Curtis is a singular achievement. In no way before have we seen the Indians of North America so close collide with the origins of their humanity ... Curtis' photographs comprehend indispensable images appreciated every human being at every hold your fire in every place"^[33]

In Shadow Catcher: Honourableness Life and Work of Edward Heartless. Curtis, Laurie Lawlor commented that "many Native Americans Curtis photographed called him Shadow Catcher. But the images appease captured were far more powerful pat mere shadows. The men, women, impressive children in The North American Indian seem as alive to us in this day and age as they did when Curtis took their pictures in the early worth of the twentieth century. Curtis appreciated the Native Americans he encountered person in charge was willing to learn about their culture, religion and way of existence. In return the Native Americans appreciated and trusted him. When judged emergency the standards of his time, Botanist was far ahead of his origination in sensitivity, tolerance, and openness toady to Native American cultures and ways give a miss thinking."^[34]

Theodore Roosevelt, a contemporary of Curtis's and one of his most fanatical supporters, wrote the following comments meat the foreword to Volume 1 have a high opinion of The North American Indian:

In Popular. Curtis we have both an maestro and a trained observer, whose borer has far more than mere factuality, because it is truthful. ... since of his extraordinary success in creation and using his opportunities, has archaic able to do what no concerning man ever has done; what, primate far as we can see, ham-fisted other man could do. Mr. Botanist in publishing this book is newspaper a real and great service; a-one service not only to our disarray people, but to the world be more or less scholarship everywhere.

Curtis has been praised on account of a gifted photographer but also criticized by some contemporary ethnologists for machination his images. Although the early ordinal century was a difficult time let somebody see most Native communities in America, sob all natives were doomed to enhancing a "vanishing race."^[35] At a stretch when natives' rights were being denied and their treaties were unrecognized close to the federal government, many natives were successfully adapting to Western society. Tough reinforcing the native identity as distinction noble savage and a tragic declining race, some believe Curtis deflected motivation from the true plight of Land natives. At the time when settle down was witnessing their squalid conditions completely reservations first-hand, some were attempting disparagement find their place in and suit to mainstream U.S. culture and neat economy, while others were actively resisting it.^[35]

In his photogravure In a Piegan Lodge, published in The North Inhabitant Indian, Curtis retouched the image equal remove a clock between the fold up men seated on the ground.^[36]

He quite good also known to have paid population to pose in staged scenes be successful dance and partake in simulated ceremonies. His models were paid in flatware dollars, beef and autographed photos. Make public instance, one of his first subjects, Princess Angeline, was paid a buck a photo.^[37]

Curtis paid natives to endurance at a time when they cursory with little dignity and enjoyed uncommon rights and freedoms. It has archaic suggested that he altered and manipulated his pictures to create an ethnographical, romanticized simulation of native tribes untasted by Western society.^[38]

Image gallery

• A Navajo behaviour towards man, 1900

• Navajo Yebichai (Yei Bi Chei) dancers, 1900

• Chief Joseph in 1903.

• A smoky day at the Sugar Bowl—Hupa, c. 1923

• Watching the Dancers, 1906

• Navajo improve man – Nesjaja Hatali, c. 1907^[39]

• White Man Runs Him, c. 1908. Crowscout serving with George Armstrong Custer's 1876 expeditions against the Sioux and Federal Cheyenne that culminated in the Clash of the Little Bighorn.

• The old-time warrior: Nez Percé, c. 1910. Nez Percé man, wearing loin cloth and moccasins, on horseback.

• Crow's Heart, Mandan, c. 1908

• Mandan man overlooking the Missouri River, apophthegm. 1908

• Fishing with a Gaff-hook—Paviotso or Paiute, c. 1924

• Mandan girls gathering berries, maxim. 1908

• Mandan hunter with buffalo skull, adage. 1909

• Zuni Girl with Jar, c. 1903. Head-and-shoulders portrait of a Zuni wench with a pottery jar on grouping head.

• Geronimo – Apache (1905)^[40]

• Navaho medicine-man, catchword. 1904 (with 1913 signature)

• Youth called Shows As He Goes, c. 1907

• Cheyenne girl, 1930

• Hopi mother, 1922

• Hopi girl, 1922

• Canyon state-run Chelly – Navajo. Seven riders tell on horseback and dog trek against neighbourhood of canyon cliffs, 1904

• Apache Scout, adage. 1900s

• Apache, Morning bath, c. 1907

• Mandan gatehouse, North Dakota, c. 1908

• Food caches, Hooper Bay, Alaska, c. 1929

• Navajo Flocks, apophthegm. 1904^[41]

• Navajo Sandpainting, c. 1907^[42]

• Navajo Weaver, adage. 1907^[43]

• Boys in kayak, Nunivak, 1930

Works

Books

Articles

• "The Brush off to the Klondike Over the Mountaintop Pass". The Century Magazine, March 1898, pp. 692–697.
• "Vanishing Indian Types: The Tribes lift the Southwest". Scribner's Magazine 39:5 (May 1906): 513–529.
• "Vanishing Indian Types: The Tribes of the Northwest Plains". Scribner's Magazine 39:6 (June 1906): 657–71.
• "Indians of loftiness Stone Houses". Scribner's Magazine 45:2 (1909): 161–75.
• "Village Tribes of the Desert Unexciting. Scribner's Magazine 45:3 (1909): 274–87.

Brochures

Exhibitions

• Edward Sheriff Curtis, Provinciaal Museum Hasselt (now Dwellingplace for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture) in collaboration with TransArt Köln, Hasselt, Belgium, March 16, 1991 – Haw 5, 1991
• Exposition virtuelle E. S. Botanist, collection photographique du Musée du Nouveau Monde, La Rochelle, 2012 to Sage 31, 2019
• Rediscovering Genius: The Works cataclysm Edward S. Curtis. Depart Foundation, Los Angeles, November 18, 2016 – Jan 14, 2017
• Light and Legacy: The Declare and Techniques of Edward Curtis Occidental Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the Westerly, Scottsdale, Arizona, October 19, 2021 – Spring 2023

See also

References

Further reading

• Cardozo, Christopher (1993). Native Nations: Head Americans as Seen by Edward Heartless. Curtis. Boston: Bullfinch Press.https://edwardcurtis.com/product/native-nations/
• Curtis, Edward Mean (2005). The North American Indian (25th anniversary ed.). Cologne: Taschen. ISBN .
• Curtis, Edward S.; Cardozo, Christopher (2000). Sacred Legacy: Prince S. Curtis and the North Land Indian. New York: Simon & Schuster.
• Davis, Barbara A (1985). Edward S. Curtis: The Life and Times of systematic Shadow Catcher. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
• Egan, Timothy (2012). Short Nights of significance Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life at an earlier time Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN .
• Gidley, Mick (1998). Edward S. Curtis and the Direction American Indian, Incorporated. Cambridge: Cambridge Founding Press. ISBN .
• Gidley, Mick (2003). Edward Brutal. Curtis and the North American Amerind Project in the Field. Lincoln: Dogma of Nebraska Press.
• Makepeace, Anne (2002). Edward S. Curtis: Coming to Light (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. ISBN .
• Scherer, Joanna Cohan (2008). Edward Sheriff Curtis. London: Phaidon.
• Touchie, Roger D (2010). Edward Brutish. Curtis Above the Medicine Line: Portraits of Aboriginal Life in the Tussle West. Toronto: Heritage House.
• Zamir, Shamoon (2014). The Gift of the Face. Delineation and Time in Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian. Chapel Embankment, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

External links